How to Lose a Finn in 10 Days
by mida212
Summary: He's using her. She's using him. The only other thing they have in common? They're crazy about each other. AU/Future Finchel **COMPLETE**
1. The Inspiration

**_Disclaimer: Glee is not mine_**

* * *

**_And unless you marry your high school sweetheart (and even sometimes then), there is usually a not-so-glorious back story. There are people and places and events that lead you to your final relationship, people and places and events you'd prefer to forget or at least gloss over. In the end, you can slap a pretty label on it- like serendipity or fate. Or you can believe that it's just the random way life unfolds._**

**_-_****_Love the One You're With, Emily Giffin_**

* * *

**_Wednesday Night_**

"I'm sorry, why are we here again?" Tina looked around the crowded Karaoke bar with distaste. This was _so _not her scene.

"Because Mercedes asked us to meet her and Tom here and we're being supportive. You know how excited she is about Tom," Rachel replied, sipping her drink. Secretly, she agreed with Tina. Listening to tone deaf people belt out "_Ain't No Mountain High Enough_" was not high on her list of great ways to spend an evening. Mercedes, however,_ loved_ Karaoke, and since she was the one who orchestrated the meeting, Rachel was willing to go along with it.

"But did it have to be _here_? Why couldn't we meet them at a restaurant?" Tina whined, looking like she was ready to hit someone over the head with a microphone. She sighed. "How head over heels is Mercedes this time? You know how she gets about a new guy."

"Shhhh. Here they come." Rachel watched as her long time best friend made her way towards the table, towing a tall African American man behind her. As usual, Mercedes was dressed in loud colors and accessories, although she had discarded the "Mercedes" necklace that usually graced her neck in favor of a simple gold chain.

"Hi guys!" Mercedes bubbly announced, as she pulled the man standing behind her closer to the table. "This is Tom, my boyfriend," she proudly announced. "Tom, this is Rachel Berry and Tina Cohen-Chang, my best friends. We all work together at _Maquillage._"

Rachel and Tina exchanged a look as they each shook Tom's hand. Did Mercedes just call Tom her _boyfriend_? Hadn't they just met 3 days ago? Clearly they weren't the only ones surprised by Mercedes' use of the word "boyfriend" as Tom did a double take when he heard it. Oblivious to the discomfort, Mercedes sat down next to Tina, motioning to Tom to do the same.

"So what do you ladies…." Tom began, but was immediately interrupted by Mercedes wrapping her arms around him and nuzzling his face. "Tommykins, can you get us a round of drinks?" she asked in a baby voice.

"Uh sure, what can I get you?" he replied, attempting to disentangle himself from Mercedes, who now had a death grip around his neck as she nibbled on his ear.

"Heineken Lite for me, Malibu Bay Breeze for Rachel, and Tina wants a Vodka Pineapple," Mercedes rattled off automatically, as the girls very seldom differed their drink orders. Tom, having successfully extracted himself from Mercedes, stood up and walked quickly to the bar.

"What was _that?_" Tina asked immediately, exchanging yet another glance with Rachel.

"What do you guys think? I really think he could be _The One_. Last night, in bed, I actually started crying, my feelings for him were so strong," Mercedes looked excitedly around the table, waiting to hear Rachel and Tina's opinions of her new man.

"Wait, you were crying? You mean like a random tear right?" Tina said, knowing how emotional Mercedes could get.

"No, I was really crying, I actually called Tom to tell him how about strong my feelings were for him. I even told him that I thought I loved him."

"What did he say?" Rachel asked. This was worse than they thought. Mercedes always went overboard in relationships, and more often than not, scared the guy off with her enthusiasm. She knew that Tina was thinking the same thing. Both could see a night of guy bashing and Haagen Daas in Mercedes' near future.

"Well, he was really quiet. I think it was because I called at 2AM and he was sleeping. I know, because when I called him an hour earlier to ask him about his last relationship, he said that he was going to sleep and got off the phone quickly."

"You called him at 2AM? Why didn't you just wait till today?" Tina asked in disbelief.

"I wanted him to know how I was feeling. Oh! Look what I got today!" Mercedes fingered the gold chain around her neck, twisting it around to reveal a diamond studded "T" hanging off of it. "I'm going to show this to him tonight. I got him one with an "M" on it. He's going to love it!"

Before either Rachel or Tina could answer, Tom returned with the drinks. Mercedes quickly twisted the necklace around again, hiding the "T" from sight, watching Tom adoringly.

"They didn't have Heineken Lite, so I just got you Heineken," Tom told her as he handed Tina and Rachel their drinks.

"_Baby_, I _need_ Lite. Remember when I called you at lunch and told you about what I can and can't eat on Weight Watchers? Beer is a lot of points. Weren't you _listening_? Can you go see if they have another lite beer? _Please_? I'd go, but I have to sign up for Karaoke." Tom sighed, but did as she asked and made his way back to the bar.

"Uh, Mercedes…" Tina began as Mercedes, seeing the Karaoke KJ coming her way, frantically waved her over.

"Hmm?" Mercedes, focused on scribbling her name and song choice on the list, failed to see the umpteenth glance of concern pass between Rachel and Tina.

"You'll be up next," the KJ announced as Mercedes handed the list back to her.

"Mercedes…" Tina tried again, but was interrupted by the KJ announcing Mercedes' name.

"Hell yea, it's my turn!" Mercedes bounded up to the stage, eagerly grabbing the microphone. "I'd like to dedicate this to my amazing boyfriend Tom. I don't know what I did to deserve you, but I'm so glad you're in my life."

Mercedes was too far away from the stage to see the deer in the headlights look Tom was currently sporting, but Rachel and Tina both saw it. The deer in the headlights look turned to a look of complete horror as Mercedes began singing Chicago's "_You're the Inspiration_" after directing the stagehand to put the spotlight on Tom.

Dropping the beer he was holding on the floor, Tom turned and ran out of the bar.

* * *

_**A/N: Some elements of the movie will be present in this story, but it will deviate!**_


	2. Operation Get Dumped

**_Disclaimer: Glee is not mine_**

* * *

_**Your friends are your release - They're who you have the most fun with, and yet when the going gets tough, those people turn around and suddenly they're not just making you laugh, they're being this rock and giving you all their advice. Even though you are so much your own person, if you dissect yourself, I guarantee you your friends are in there. Their influence is incredible. Best friends are what you need most.**_

_**-Unknown**_

* * *

_**Thursday**_

Despite having lived in New York State for 11 years and Manhattan for the past 7 years, Finn Hudson had never gotten used to the traffic. Having grown up in tiny Lima, Ohio before moving to Long Island just before high school, he was unaccustomed to the hustle and bustle of city life. The 4 years he spent at NYU showed him the nightmare that is New York traffic, and as a result, one of the first things he did after graduating was to purchase a motorcycle, which allowed him to easily maneuver through the dreaded early morning traffic.

He was just parking his motorcycle in front of his office building (another perk!) when he heard the familiar sound of high heels clicking on the pavement. Looking up, Finn saw that his suspicions were correct. Santana Lopez, the exotic beauty who worked in the same office as Finn, was striding towards him, magazine in hand.

"Why hello, Finnegan, are you_ just_ arriving? I've already been to one meeting and am about to have another," Santana announced in her usual '_I'm better than you and I know it_' tone.

Finn, used to Santana's condescending tone, simply looked at the magazine in her hand and asked, "_Maquillage_? Trying to find out the best shoes to wear to cause a mind blowing orgasm?"

"I hardly need help in that department. For your information, Quinn and I have an appointment at _Maquillage_. They're the fastest growing women's magazine in the country. Of course, you'd need to actually read something other than _Playboy_ to know that. William wants to secure some advertising space with them, and naturally, he selected Quinn and me. Tell you what. I'm feeling generous today. I'll leave this copy of _Maquillage_ on top of the toilet for you to peruse." With a final sneer in his direction, Santana turned and began walking away.

She may be a complete Ice Queen, but that didn't stop Finn from admiring the view as she sauntered away. Shaking his head, he grabbed his backpack and walked into the building, riding the elevator up to Schuester Advertising. When the doors opened, he was surprised to find Mike and Artie, his associates, waiting for him.

"Dude, where have you been? Big News!" Artie announced wheeling his wheelchair alongside Finn and Mike as they made their way to Finn's office.

"What happened?" Finn asked, setting his backpack down and sitting at his desk.

"Turns out you were right. Puckerman is looking for new representation!" Mike cried eager to share the news.

"I _knew_ it! Puckerman owns more than half of the diamond industry. If we can get that account, we'll be set for life. Where's Will? I gotta get to him. You guys start drafting a pitch," Finn jumped up, ready to march into Will Schuester's office and demand that the boss give him and his team the account. He noticed Artie and Mike shifting uncomfortably. "What?"

"Schuester gave it to the Ice Queens," Mike reluctantly said. "They're already on their way to _Maquillage_ to secure ad space."

"No way! Schuester's got to be kidding. I was the one who found out about this! This should be ours, not Quinn and Santana's!"

"Are you forgetting that we're the sports division? Diamonds don't exactly fit in our area of expertise," Artie added, trying to be the voice of reason.

"I'm talking to Will about this. He can't just give it to the Ice Queens because they flirt with him all the time. They have a boob advantage! Is he in his office yet?" Finn asked.

"He's in L.A. remember?"

"Finn, I have your messages for you," Allie, his secretary, announced, knocking lightly on the door as she walked in. Eyeing Finn up and down appreciatively, she handed him his messages before adding, "Isn't it great news about the Puckerman account? I heard Will is flying back from L.A. early just to discuss specifics with Quinn and Santana tonight."

Finn, oblivious to Allie's wandering eye, turned to look at her. "Yea, I heard that too. Weren't they meeting at 7:00?" he questioned casually, hoping Allie would take the bait.

She did.

"No, 6:00 at McKinley's. Don't forget you have a 12 o'clock with Nike," she called over her shoulder as she sauntered out the door.

Finn, Mike and Artie looked at each other. Without a word, they got down to work on the Puckerman pitch.

The Ice Queens were going down.

* * *

Rachel sat at her computer deep in thought. She'd been trying to figure out what exactly she could write about this month. As _Maquillage_'s "How to" girl, she was expected to write on a wide range of topics, provided she stuck to the big three: fashion, cosmetics, and celebrities. As a result, she'd written fascinating articles like "_How to rock that weird shade of lipstick_," and "_How to get a celebrity to answer your tweet_."

She sighed. When she took the job at _Maquillage_, she had just graduated with honors from Columbia, ready to get on _The New York Times_ Bestseller List. This job was supposed to provide a paycheck while Rachel wrote her novel. Yet, 7 years after graduating, she was still at _Maquillage_ and the only novel she'd written was in her dreams.

"Mercedes still isn't here."

Rachel looked up, startled. "I haven't seen her all morning actually." She followed Tina's line of vision over to Mercedes' desk. The computer was switched off, and there was no Starbucks cup on her desk, a sure sign something was amiss.

"How much do you want to bet this has something to do with last night?" Tina asked. After Tom had fled, they had escorted a hysterical Mercedes to the nearest convenience store, stocked up on Haagen-Dazs, and proceeded to go back to Mercedes' apartment to guy bash, as was standard custom whenever there was a break up or dumping among the three.

Before Rachel could answer, Mercedes appeared in the office. Devoid of any make-up, her eyes red rimmed from crying, she was dressed in old sweats and carrying a box of tissues. Her hair looked as if she had just woken up and didn't brush it. Ignoring the stares, of her co-workers, Mercedes made her way over to Rachel and Tina.

"It's over," she stated flatly. "I called him twenty-five times last night and he didn't answer. Not once. I had to keep leaving messages on his machine." Pulling a tissue out of the box she continued, "It was going so well. I don't know what happened. Why does this always happen to me? It starts out perfect and then explodes in my face and I end up mystified as to why, not to mention ten pounds heavier from all the ice cream." She accentuated this statement with a loud honk as she blew her nose.

"Well maybe you came on too strong…" Rachel began but was interrupted by a voice on the intercom.

"Staff Meeting five minutes!"

"Do you feel up to going?" Rachel asked sympathetically. "We can tell Emma you're sick."

"No, I'll go," Mercedes answered, linking her arm through Tina's as they proceeded into Emma's conference room. Knowing their boss was very anal about germs and cleanliness, the girls automatically took off their shoes at the door before sitting on Emma's immaculate furniture.

"Ok guys; let's hear what you have planned for next month. Brittany. Go." Emma settled onto her couch, looking at the perky blonde sitting on her left.

"Well, I already finished the article about "_What Your Eyeglass Frames Say About You_" and now I'm working on "_Ten Things You Should Know About Your Gynecologist" _and then I'm going to…."

Rachel tuned out Brittany. She heard Tina whispering to Mercedes. "Maybe Tom just needs some time. Like Rachel said, maybe you came on too strong. It happens to all of us. We want the relationship so bad that we go a little crazy."

"Oh please, tell that to Heidi Klum. She could puke on a guy and he'd still be all over her," Mercedes whispered back.

Just as Rachel opened her mouth to add to the clandestine conversation, Emma turned to Mercedes. "What's up with my music columnist? What can we look forward to next month?"

"I, uh, well that is..." Mercedes sputtered. She'd barely thought about her article.

"She got dumped," Tina announced, coming to Mercedes' aid.

"Ohhh nooo, poor Mercedes. How long has it been?" Emma and the rest of the staff wore matching looks of sympathy.

"It's been 15 hours. I haven't been able to eat or sleep since the split," Mercedes answered truthfully.

"I must say you are looking…." Emma paused, a curious look on her face, the staff waiting patiently for her to continue.

Emma looked around the group. Mercedes mentioning that she hadn't eaten or slept since the split had brought to mind her own past breakups. She remembered one particularly bad breakup when she sat outside the guy's house for hours crying and singing along to "_All By Myself_" over and over again until he called the cops on her. The fact that Emma would have been humiliated to have that incident published for all to see escaped her thought process as a new idea germinated in her mind.

"Mercedes, what do you think caused the breakup?" Emma questioned, the curious look still plastered on her face. She needed confirmation before unveiling her new idea.

"I have no idea. It started off so well, but then he started getting really busy. I kept calling him, but he would hardly ever answer. When he did answer, he was always busy or about to go somewhere and had to get off the phone. It must be because I'm too fat."

A chorus of "you're _not_ fat" broke out among the staff members.

Mercedes nodded, firmly convinced of this. "He always said I wasn't too fat every time I asked him, but that must be it."

"Perfect." Emma was practically purring. She _loved_ when good ideas snuck up on her and this was a winner. She was so absorbed in finalizing her idea in her head that she almost missed Mercedes' next comment.

"I'm sorry, why is my getting dumped perfect?"

"Because I have an amazing idea for a new article! Everyday people get dumped and they honestly have no clue why. Mercedes, you are a fantastic person; you're smart, funny and caring. Yet you just got dumped. Why? What is it we do that drives men away? Those first few weeks of dating leave us with such a high; it drives us to do crazy things. I mean, come on, who among us hasn't met a guy and immediately started planning our wedding and future kid's names? Who hasn't been clingy or needy in the effort to hold on to a guy?" Emma looked around the group attempting to gauge their reactions to her idea so far. A few were looking at her warily, but most seemed interested waiting for more details about the article. She paused for effect before continuing.

"How to Lose A Guy in Ten Days!" she proudly announced. "Rachel Berry. Go."

Rachel looked up startled. "Excuse me?"

"You will start dating a guy, but drive him away using the classic mistakes girls make. Be clingy, needy, touchy feely. Whatever you have to do. It's like dating, but your aim will be to get dumped!"

"But I'm not a relationship writer! I write about celebrities and cosmetics!" Rachel exclaimed, horrified that she'd been chosen for this article. _Why me? I have practically zero experience with dating and relationships. _Here was her chance to impress Emma, and she was going to bomb spectacularly.

"Nevertheless, I have chosen you for the article," Emma said, ignoring Brittany's raised hand and proclamations of "I'll do it! I'll do it!"

Rachel threw looks at Tina and Mercedes, silently begging them to help her. Mercedes looked unsure of what to do, but Tina made a last ditch attempt to help.

"Emma, I think the idea is fantastic, I really do, but don't you think someone more experienced with writing about relationships might be better suited for this? And why only 10 days?"

"Rachel's a big girl; she'll be able to handle it. And to answer your second question Tina, 5 days is too short and we go to press in 11 days," Emma replied, smiling. "Now, what's next for Fashion Forward with Tina?"

* * *

Rachel couldn't believe how slowly the rest of the meeting went. She barely paid attention to anyone else, still horrified at being singled out for this assignment.

Rachel Berry did** not **date.

In high school, her one and only "boyfriend" had broken up with her by publicly making out with another girl in the courtyard…while Rachel was online paying for his lunch. She'd come back to the table, lunch in hand, only to have Jesse stop sucking face and say "just put it on the table and leave us alone, will you?" Rachel had been mortified to find out that what she assumed was a relationship was really just Jesse using her to run errands. He'd never even really kissed her in public or taken her anywhere, but she thought he just didn't like PDA. She'd dumped the lunch on the table and ran to have a good cry in the bathroom. She'd eventually come out of the bathroom to find Jesse waiting to officially dump her in the hallway. The memory of Jesse's words still stung her. _Why would I date **you** when there are so many hotter girls? _Since then, she'd completely avoided relationships and dating, throwing herself into her writing.

Rachel was so used to being alone that she was able to feign confidence when it came to men, because she knew she wouldn't follow through with it. It was easier -and safer- to spin fantasies about her dating life in her head or writing "scenes" of dates in a notebook she kept for just that purpose. She was content to sit home waiting for the phone call to hear about how Mercedes' and Tina's dates went. She had no idea what the classic mistakes were that girls made. Fortunately, she had witnessed the train wreck of a date last night, so she figured she could start there. She'd need to pick Mercedes' and Tina's brains to see if they could add more outrageous behaviors.

"Rachel! Please don't forget to give me a day by day draft of each date. And remember if he takes you to a restaurant, _please_ bring some cleaning wipes. One never knows how they wash the silverware," Emma called out, shuddering at the thought of dirty silverware.

"Of course, Emma, no problem," Rachel called back, grabbing Tina while Mercedes ran to the cafeteria to get their lunches.

Once in the safety of her cubicle, she began to panic. "I can't do this! Why did she have to pick me? I can't even get a guy interested in me, let alone dump me!"

Tina grabbed her by the shoulders. "Ok, listen to me. You _**can**_ do this. Emma picked you because you are a _**fantastic**_ writer. You may not have dated a lot or been dumped, but I have, and we both know Mercedes has been dumped. The two of us will help you through this. When Mercedes gets back with our lunch, we'll all compare war stories and think of things that drive guys crazy. Sound good?"

Rachel merely nodded, collapsing into her desk chair and thinking that someone like Tina would have been better for this article since she's always going on dates. Mercedes soon returned, and the girls got to work over their sandwiches and salads.

"Well, Emma already mentioned three, touchy-feely, clingy, and whiny," Tina began. Rachel took out a legal pad and began taking notes.

"What about baby talk?" Mercedes asked, thinking back on her date last night.

"Yea, baby talk is a must! It's even better if you can give him an embarrassing nickname to call him in front of his friends!" Tina exclaimed, laughing.

Half an hour later, the girls had created a master list of things that were sure to send any man running for the hills. Rachel was beginning to feel better about the article. As long she stuck to the list, she _might_ be ok. Looking down at the list, she cleared her throat and read aloud:

"_How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days"_

_Be clingy, whiny and needy_

_Be touchy-feely_

_Use baby talk frequently_

_A nickname is a must, the more embarrassing the better_

_Embarrass him in public_

_Infiltrate his family and friends_

_Call him constantly_

_Be emotional and hormonal_

"Well? Sound good? Should we add any more?" Rachel bit her lip, worried that this might not be enough to get her through this assignment.

"No, let's just start with that and see how it goes," Tina decided. "Now where should we go to find you a man?"

The girls were just making plans to go trolling for a man tonight when Emma walked into Rachel's cubicle, accompanied by two women Rachel had never seen before.

"Oh, girls here you are. I'd like you to meet Quinn Fabray and Santana Lopez from Schuester Advertising. They're going to create some fabulous tie-ins between Puckerman Diamonds and _Maquillage_!" Emma announced, indicating the two women next to her. "Quinn, Santana, this is Tina Cohen-Chang, our fashion columnist, Mercedes Jones, our music diva, and Rachel Berry, our "How to" girl." Quinn and Santana acknowledged each introduction with a cool nod and Rachel could practically feel the frostiness emanating from them. At the mention of Rachel being the "How to" girl, the Hispanic looking girl suddenly turned to her, looking her critically up and down.

""How to" girl? How cute, I bet your column is very amusing," Santana said, in an almost bored tone. Rachel bristled. It was one thing for her to make fun of her own column, but for a complete stranger to mock it, well that was too much.

Emma, still on her high from realizing that the Puckerman deal would take care of her advertising quota for the year, failed to hear the mocking in Santana's voice. "Isn't it a wonderful column? Wait till you hear what she's going to be doing next! She's actually going to start dating a guy and drive him crazy with all the insane mistakes girls make in order to get dumped within ten days! It's going to be madness!"

Quinn and Santana giggled politely. "Oh sounds needlessly vicious!" Santana exclaimed, not wanting to get on Emma's bad side. Truthfully, she thought that Rachel in her little girl sweater set and plaid skirt wouldn't have to do much to get dumped.

"Isn't it?" Turning to Rachel, Emma continued, "Now hurry along and find some poor unsuspecting boy to torture!"

The girls went back to their planning. _Operation Get Dumped_, as Tina dubbed it, was set to begin at 6:00 tonight.

* * *

**_A/N: Maquillage is French for cosmetics/make-up._**


	3. Do those lines really work?

Disclaimer: Glee still does not belong to me.

* * *

_**The power of a glance has been so much abused in love stories, that it has come to be disbelieved in. Few people dare now say that two beings have fallen in love because they have looked at each other. Yet it is in this way that love begins, and in this way only... Nothing is more real than these great shocks which two souls give each other in exchanging this spark. **_

_**-Victor Hugo**_

* * *

"So remind me again. What exactly is the plan for tonight?" Rachel asked as she walked arm in arm with Mercedes and Tina. Having interpreted Emma's instruction to "hurry along and find some poor unsuspecting boy to torture" as "take the rest of the day off to get manicures and go shopping" the girls were now decked head to toe in brand new outfits heading to McKinley's. Rachel especially was in an outfit that was sure to turn heads. She felt incredibly self conscious in the low cut dress and high heels that Tina had managed to talk her into. Tina had assured Rachel that she definitely had the body and looks to pull the outfit off, but Rachel still had her doubts. Mercedes had taken care of her hair and make-up and both felt confident that every male eye in the bar would be focused on Rachel. McKinley's was the place to see and be seen, so Rachel was sure to find someone acceptable to torture.

"Tonight you're simply going to find a guy, and once he's hooked, flip the switch tomorrow," Tina explained confidently. Although it sounded easy, Rachel was nervous. She'd never been good at talking to strangers, let alone male strangers. She sighed. She was so far removed from the dating scene; she secretly doubted if she'd even be able to get a guy interested in her tonight.

"Flip the switch? You're not going to go all Swimfan on him are you?" Mercedes asked nervously.

"No, I'm simply going to stick to the list we created. I'll be clingy, I'll call him constantly, basically drive him crazy," Rachel recited, having memorized the list earlier.

"Oh I thought of another! Call him late at night and tell him everything you ate today. Or better yet, ask him if the symptoms you've been having all day mean you're getting your period!" Tina said, laughing.

"What's wrong with that?" Mercedes questioned. Seeing the looks of horror on Tina's and even Rachel's face, she quickly backtracked. "I mean, not that I would ever do that."

"Okayyyy on that note let the torture begin!" Tina exclaimed holding the door of McKinley's open for Rachel and Mercedes.

Operation Get Dumped was officially underway.

* * *

Finn sat at the private table, idly tapping the "Reserved" sign with his fingers. He'd arrived extra early wanting to make sure he had the element of surprise. Scanning the crowded bar his eyes fell on a stunning brunette talking animatedly with two women who had their backs to him. He couldn't help noticing that her legs went on for miles and even from across the room, her smile was blinding.

"Finnegan? What are you doing here? This is a private table, hence the "reserved" sign. You. Weren't. Invited." Finn was so engrossed in watching the brunette, he'd failed to notice Will and the Ice Queens arrive. _So much for having the element of surprise,_ he thought as he stood up to greet the three.

Choosing to ignore Santana's little dig, Finn turned to Will. "No, I wasn't invited, but I should have been. This was MY tip. I deserve this pitch."

"Please. If Puckerman wanted to market jock straps, Will would pick you. Santana and I know jewelry and we know the female mind, isn't that right Will?" Quinn responded, turning to Will flirtatiously and running a hand down his arm.

"She's right Finn. You and your team sell sports; it's a totally different mentality. You need to know your market, which is why I picked these ladies," Will answered, putting one arm around Santana and one arm around Quinn, who both snuggled into him.

"Are you saying I don't know women?" Finn asked, his face an image of disbelief. Inwardly he groaned. Like most men, he had spent many a day utterly confused by the female race and why they do the things they do. Like right now for instance. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the brunette at the bar struggling to put something in her tiny purse. Why not just get a bigger purse?

"What we're saying, _Finnegan,_ is that you don't know diamonds. A diamond represents stability, status and beauty. Every girl wants to receive one, instantly feels more beautiful when wearing one, and it shows the world that you are loved. All things I'm sure you're unfamiliar with, seeing as how you're perpetually single," Santana responded with a hiss.

"A diamond is nothing more than a lump of carbon. What you want is women to fall in love with the IDEA of a diamond, and that's where I know I can be successful, even if I haven't been in a relationship for a while," Finn was so focused on his speech that he failed to notice Santana nudging Quinn and glance meaningfully at the bar.

"Fall in love with diamonds or fall in love with you?" Santana asked.

"Well, both I guess. A woman falls in love with me; she falls in love with diamonds because she'll eventually expect me to give her one."

"Really? Care to prove it? Quinn and I will pick someone out in this room and you have to make her fall in love with you. And I mean _really_ in love with you," Leaning forward and giving Will a nice view of her cleavage, she appealed to Will. "What do you think Will? Do you think Finnegan can forget his little footballs and video games and make a woman fall head over heels in love with him?

"Ohhh this is interesting. How about I set the stakes? The company is going to have a Black Tie Gala to celebrate Puckerman joining our firm a week from Sunday. Bring the girl to the party and I'll be the judge of whether she loves you or not. Finn, you get a woman to fall in love with you and you can have the account." Will was so intrigued by this idea he ignored Quinn and Santana's protests at possibly losing the account. "Now ladies, let's choose a woman for Finn!"

Quinn smiled viciously. "How about her?" She pointed to a woman standing near the door. Finn balked, he should have put down some guidelines about the type of girl. The woman in question was easily in her late 50's. Garishly made up, she reminded Finn of the Mimi character from The Drew Carey Show. "She's definitely looking for a man. Bet she's not picky. You like Cougars, Finnegan?"

"Ladies..." Finn began but was cut off by Santana.

"No. _Her_." Santana's voice held a note of finality, and Will, Quinn and Finn all stared at her before turning to follow her gaze.

"Her?" Quinn mouthed to Santana. Santana merely smiled and put a finger to her lips.

"Which one?" Will asked.

"The pretty brunette by the bar. Tiny, legs for miles, pretty smile." Finn's heart leaped at the description as he turned. Could she be describing the girl he was watching before? Sure enough, the same brunette who had captured his attention was still standing at the bar, only now she was laughing at something one of her friends had said. Captivated, Finn watched for a moment before turning back to face the other three.

"Done."

* * *

Tina sighed. They'd been at the bar for a half hour already and Rachel had not made a move. She'd just assumed her usual bar stance, standing and talking with Tina and Mercedes. Tina hoped this article might spur Rachel to explore the romantic frontier further. Hanging out with a guy, even if the intent was to get dumped, might show Rachel what she was missing. Every time a guy made a pass at Rachel, she'd always come up with some excuse as to why she couldn't date him. She knew Rachel was insecure about her looks, but that was no reason to spend Friday nights at home watching British Television on PBS. Just loud enough to be heard over the noise of the bar, she began singing the Final Jeopardy music, hoping to force Rachel to get a move on it. After all, the sooner Rachel was taken care of, the sooner Tina herself could man hunt.

"Oh leave her alone, she's still checking the goods," Mercedes admonished.

"How about him?" Rachel cast about for someone suitable, finally settling on a blond man seated alone at a table near the window.

"Go. Make your move." Tina fairly shoved her in the man's direction, turning back to Mercedes to continue their conversation. Within 5 minutes however, Rachel was back.

"No good. He's married. His wife came back and asked me for a show recommendation, so I said _Phantom_."

Tina groaned.

Rachel looked around the room, once again scouring for a potential victim. Idly scanning the bar, her eyes fell on a small man with an enormous Jewfro and large, thick glasses. Now _there _was someone probably used to getting dumped. Maybe she should ask him for some tips. She could see the man in question eyeing her up and down, grinning lasciviously. Repulsed, she looked beyond him to see a handsome man sitting alone at a reserved table. A _very_ handsome man. The kind of handsome man who usually intimidated the hell out of Rachel. She took in his short, messy brown hair wondering what it would be like to run her hands through it. She mentally filed that thought away to add to her ideas notebook.

"Hello? Earth to Rachel!" Rachel snapped out of her reverie upon hearing Mercedes voice.

"What?" Although Jewfro was partially blocking her view, she noticed Mr. Messy Hair greeting 2 women and a man. Crap. He must be on a double date.

"Girl, did you even hear anything I said?"

"Sorry, I was uh, perusing," Rachel focused her attention fully on Mercedes, Tina nowhere to be found. Rachel spied Tina near the window talking to a man. How does she _do_ that?

"I said, do you want to try another place?"

"No, we can't leave Tina here. Besides, I've got some possibilities." Plus, if she stayed at McKinley's she could continue to watch the handsome guy on his double date out of the corner of her eye. Glancing in that direction, she noticed that the guy with the Jewfro was nowhere to be seen.

Rachel jumped as she felt a hand on her ass. "Excuse me, is this seat taken? I hope not because the Independent Polling Company in my pants has determined that you're the hottest girl in this room." Rolling her eyes, she turned to see who delivered the lame pickup line, only to come face to face with Jewfro himself.

"Ben-Israel. Jacob Ben-Israel," he announced in his best Bond imitation, stepping closer to Rachel, who instinctively took a step back.

Undaunted, he continued, "I'm new in town. Can I have directions back to your place?" Rachel cast a horrified look at Mercedes, whose shoulders were shaking uncontrollably as she tried unsuccessfully to hold in her laughter.

"Look, Jacob…" Rachel began, attempting to let Jacob down nicely. She started to rethink that idea when Jacob, encouraged that Rachel was talking to him, once again moved closer and attempted to put his arms around her.

"This dress is amazing. It would look even better on the floor next to my bed tomorrow morning." Jacob let a finger drag down Rachel's arm. She didn't know which was worse. His lame pick-up lines or the sweaty hand that was once again making its way down to her ass.

"That may be, but unfortunately, she's with me."

Rachel gasped at the new voice in the conversation and filled with gratitude, turned to see who was saving her from the clutches of hell.

It was _him._

* * *

A/N: And so it begins! I had to include Jacob in there, since I think he's a riot.


	4. Fun Facts

**_Disclaimer: Glee does not belong to me. Neither does Keeping Up Appearances._**

* * *

"_**He kissed me, then. Really put his arms around me and kissed me. It went through my body like he had flipped some electrical switch and lit me up. His skin was so warm, and he was suddenly so beautiful, and I thought, Oh, this is what all the hype is about." **_

_**-E. Lockhart, The Boyfriend List**_

* * *

_"Why did you keep glancing at the bar? What's the deal with her?" Quinn hissed to Santana._

_"You don't recognize her? Think hard about our meeting at Maquillage today," Santana crossed her arms and smirked, waiting for recognition to dawn on Quinn's face. Quinn turned back to the bar, staring hard at the brunette._

_And there it was._

_Both women turned to watch what would surely be a comedy play out as Finn went to talk to the brunette._

* * *

Rachel stood in stunned silence, as the handsome stranger she'd been admiring from afar slipped an arm effortlessly around her waist. Was this seriously happening? Jacob Ben-Israel looked stunned as well; Rachel could practically see the wheels turning in his head as he processed this new development.

"Are you ready to go, baby? We have dinner reservations for 7:00," Handsome Stranger announced.

Rachel, still incapable of finding her tongue, simply nodded, allowing herself to be led away.

"I do my own laundry!" Jacob yelled after her in a last desperate attempt. Realizing Rachel wasn't coming back, he turned to Mercedes. "So. Is that a mirror in your pants? Because I can see myself in them."

* * *

Outside McKinley's Handsome Stranger stopped, turning to look at Rachel. "I'm sorry. You just looked like you really wanted to get away from that guy."

"I...I did," Rachel managed to stammer out. She was a writer, why were words failing her now? She looked up at her savior and knew why words were failing her. He was even _more_ handsome up close. He was very tall, with the aforementioned messy brown hair and light brown eyes that at the moment were showing concern for her. The urge to run her hands through his hair returned stronger than before, and she forced herself to look down.

"No problem. I'm Finn by the way. Finn Hudson."

"Ra-Rachel. Rachel Berry." Great, Finn was going to think she had a stuttering problem.

"Well Rachel Berry, it seems that your friend has returned." Finn pointed to the window of McKinley's where Jacob Ben-Israel was positioned, watching Rachel intently, waiting for the right moment to join Rachel outside.

Seeing Rachel glance at the window, Jacob attempted to be suave, running his fingers through his hair, while simultaneously pointing to Rachel and making a thrusting motion with his hips.

"Ewww." Rachel was almost nauseated. It figures Jacob was the type of guy who would be interested in her, while Finn was just being chivalrous.

"Well you know there is one way to get rid of him." Finn stepped closer to her. "I'm going to put my arms around you, okay?"

Rachel simply nodded, allowing herself to be enveloped in his arms. She leaned against his chest, inhaling the scent of his cologne.

"We'd better hurry up if we want to make those dinner reservations."

Rachel looked up at him in confusion. "Huh?"

"Well, the way I figure it, that guy is going to be following you all night if you stay here. So naturally, the only solution is to let me take you to dinner somewhere else."

Still wrapped comfortably in his arms, she finally managed to find her tongue as she laughed. "Oh really?"

"Yes, you do owe me after all. I did you a favor by saving you from the worst pickup lines I've ever heard, so I'd like repayment in the form of dinner."

"In that case, lead the way." Reluctantly, Rachel separated herself from Finn. "Wait. Are you single?"

_Please say yes please say yes._

"As single as your man in the window," Finn cheerfully replied. "You?"

"Single," Rachel confirmed. She hesitated before asking the question she'd been wondering about since he'd come over to her. She thought carefully of how to phrase the question, unable to bring herself to flat out ask who those girls were. "So you were at McKinley's by yourself?"

"Actually, I had a business meeting. It ended just in time to come to your aid." He smiled at her, a cute kind of half smile that made her stomach do funny things.

His answer allowed Rachel let out the breath she didn't know she was holding.

"Ready to go? Because I think your admirer in the window is ready to fight me."

Rachel looked back at Jacob who, sure enough, was now staring at Finn with a look of pure hatred, pointing to his eyes and then at Finn.

"Where are you parked?" She couldn't believe she was going along with Finn's plan, but the sooner she got away from Jacob the better. "It'll probably take a while for the parking garage to bring the car down so maybe…"

"Not a problem. I'm right here." Finn indicated a motorcycle parked nearby. Walking over to it, he grabbed his helmet, putting it on. "Sorry to say you get the helmet that will make you look like one of the mushrooms from Super Mario."

"I won't look like a mushroom!" Rachel put the helmet on. "Well?"

"Sorry, but you do." Finn adjusted the strap on Rachel's helmet. "A very cute mushroom though." He paused, clearing his throat. "Uh, hop on."

Rachel climbed on, wrapping her arms securely around Finn's waist, still in disbelief at the turn her night had taken. _This is for work. I'll just stick the list. It'll be easy._

Ignoring the sparks she felt when she wrapped her arms around his waist, however, wasn't proving to be so easy.

* * *

Finn couldn't believe his luck. Santana and Quinn couldn't have picked a better girl if they tried. Sure, he'd noticed her fantastic legs and beautiful smile when he was watching her at the bar, but now, sitting across from her at the Italian restaurant, he discovered her big brown eyes and pouty lips. He was also introduced to her charming personality and infectious laugh, which gradually came out as she relaxed over dinner. And he certainly wasn't going to complain about the feel of her enveloped in his arms.

He supposed he owed Jewfro too. After all, his awful attempt to pick-up Rachel had given Finn the _perfect_ opportunity to meet Rachel and get her to agree to dinner, something which he normally was very clumsy doing. Usually, he'd bumble his way through a conversation, hoping against hope that _this_ time word vomit wouldn't get the best of him_._ Although he'd displayed confidence during the meeting with Will and the Ice Queens, he was always so awkward when it came to women that more often than not, he ended up getting in his own way. Over time, he'd learned the hard way that it was easier to pretend when it came to dating and women.

Rachel, however, seemed fairly easy to talk to, and for once, he was managing to keep control over the word vomit.

"So Rachel, tell me. What do you do?" Might as well get the usual first date questions out of the way, he figured.

"I work at _Maquillage. _I started working there after I graduated from Columbia."

"Are you a columnist?" Finn asked, visibly impressed.

"Yes, I write the "How to" column, but to tell you the truth, what I really want to do is write my novel." She bit her lip, in disbelief that she'd shared that. Not even Tina and Mercedes knew about her dream to be a published novelist. Her stacks of notebooks filled with ideas were well hidden in her apartment.

"What's stopping you?"

"Well, I…" Rachel paused. What _was_ stopping her? She shrugged. "Real life got in the way I guess." Wanting the attention away from herself, she directed the question back to him. "How about you?"

"I work at Schuester Advertising. I usually focus on the sport accounts, but am hopefully about to break into the diamond industry."

Wow. All the guys Tina and Mercedes had ever gotten from bars had always had less than desirable jobs.

"Thanks, by the way." Rachel smiled shyly at him over her wine glass.

"For what?"

"For getting me away from that horrible guy Jacob back at McKinley's. I don't know how I would have shaken him off." She shuddered at the thought of his sweaty hands on her ass.

"I don't know, I thought he was a catch. He does do his own laundry after all." Finn smirked, remembering Jacob's last attempt at picking up Rachel.

Rachel's shoulders started twitching as she began to laugh at the absurd lines Jacob had spewed. Finn, captivated by her laugh, soon joined in, and the two were soon laughing uncontrollably, earning stares from other patrons.

And just like that, it was like two old friends were sitting at dinner, rather than two people who'd met an hour ago.

* * *

Rachel couldn't remember the last time she'd had such an enjoyable dinner out with someone other than Tina or Mercedes. She was wrong when she thought he'd be the kind of handsome guy who intimidated her. Finn actually seemed to _**not**_ know he was handsome, which made him even more adorable. The waitress had been blatantly flirting with him and checking him out, but Finn seemed oblivious to it.

Not only was Finn handsome, but his personality made him easy to talk to. Rachel found herself telling him about her two dads and her childhood. How she wore out her copy of _Anne of Green Gables. _About how her 9th grade English teacher inspired her to be a writer. About Mercedes and Tina. She even told him about her notebooks.

Finn listened, captivated.

She was equally fascinated as Finn described life in Ohio, where he'd lived until his stepdad got transferred to Long Island just before he started high school. She laughed along as Finn described life with Kurt, his fashionista stepbrother and was touched to hear about the close relationship he had with his mom.

She found herself putting her hand over his when he talked about his deceased father, killed in action when Finn was a baby. "I never knew my mother either."

"So you know how it is. Sometimes I find myself wondering what he would think of my life and how I grew up, which is ridiculous. I mean, my mom always says he'd be so proud of me, but sometimes I have my doubts. If he was alive, would I still being doing what I'm doing? Or would his influence and guidance have sent me in a different life direction?" He shook his head. "Is that stupid?"

"Not at all," Rachel said quietly. She gave his hand a squeeze. "I've never even seen a picture of my mother. Sometimes I walk down the street, wondering if I just walked past my mother. I often wonder if I have her eyes or nose, or if my love of cream cheese-peanut butter-jelly sandwiches came from her."

Rachel's eyes locked with Finn's and her hand remained over his. The waitress came with the bill and a dirty look for Rachel, breaking the spell between them. Rachel removed her hand from Finn's and looked away.

_What am I doing? Bonding was NOT on the list. _

Finn finished paying the bill and stood up, holding a hand out to Rachel. "Ready to go?"

Reluctantly, Rachel got up and followed Finn out the door, hand in hand.

Somehow, she didn't think holding hands was on the list either.

Leading her over to his motorcycle, Finn climbed aboard, putting his helmet on. He waited to feel Rachel climb on behind him, but feeling nothing, he turned to see what the problem was. Rachel was trying to shove her little purse into the front of her dress. Why, he had no idea, but he wouldn't mind helping her do it.

Rachel looked up, mortified that he had caught her. "I-I was trying to find a place to stow it. It's too hard to hold onto you and it at the same time. I almost dropped it on the way here."

"Ah, I see. That is a problem. Luckily for you, motorcycles do have storage." He climbed off the seat and lifted it to reveal a small compartment. Placing Rachel's bag in it, he closed it and sat back down. "Hop on."

Finn couldn't help the smile that emerged on his face when he felt two small arms wrap themselves around his waist. Grateful that she couldn't see the smile or the blush that came upon realizing he was smiling, he pulled out into the nighttime traffic.

* * *

"Well here we are. Home sweet home," Finn announced, leading Rachel into his apartment. "Want a beer?"

"Uh, sure. Can I use your bathroom first?" Rachel was slipping into panic mode.

She wasn't expecting to come to his apartment. She thought he'd drop her off at her building, but to her surprise, he'd asked her if she wanted a drink at his apartment. She was shocked to find her mouth saying "yes" before she even had time to process the question. Actually, what she really wanted to say was "_hell yes_." During the short ride to his apartment, Rachel's mind had had time to catch up to her mouth, causing her to think about what she was getting herself into.

She needed backup _now._

Shutting the bathroom door behind her, she quickly dialed Tina's number. "Tina, it's me. Did Mercedes fill you in?"

"Yeah, she said he was all sorts of hot. Where are you? Why are you whispering?"

"I'm at his apartment having drinks. Help me! What should I do? Am I supposed to flip the switch? Maybe I should flip the switch. I'm gonna flip the switch." Rachel was approaching full blown panic mode.

"Rachel, you need to calm down. It's _just _drinks. Act 100% normal. DO NOT FLIP THE SWITCH. Do you hear me? You need to keep this guy around. Play hard to get. When you think you've hooked him, leave. Ok? Now go drink your drink and have a little _fun_," Tina directed, placing emphasis on the word fun.

"I'm not going to sleep with him!" Rachel exclaimed. Almost immediately, an image of Finn lying naked in a bed popped into her head, causing Rachel to begin to lose herself in a fantasy.

_Knock it off. This is for work._

"Stop stalling and GO." Without another word, Tina hung up.

Rachel looked in the mirror. _You can do this. _Taking a deep breath she walked out of the bathroom to find Finn waiting in the living room with two beers. As he handed one to her, she shyly remarked, "Your apartment is lovely."

Finn took a swig of beer before replying. "Thanks, but I can't really take credit. Kurt did all the decorating." He sat on the couch, motioning for Rachel to sit down next to him. "Have a seat."

Tina's direction to play hard to get resonating in her mind, Rachel's eyes cast about the room, trying to decide where to sit. Choosing an arm chair, she sat primly, staring at Finn, nervously taking a sip of the beer.

Finn, who seemed surprised at her choice of seating, watched as Rachel fiddled with her beer bottle while staring at him nervously.

She racked her brain trying to figure out a way to distract him from the seating arrangements. She suddenly remembered a game she used to play at sleepovers.

"So Finn, tell me something."

"Yes?"

"No, I mean _tell me something._ It's a game I used to play when I was younger. It's like fun facts about you. You just say "Tell me about..." I'll start if you want. I'll tell you a silly secret: Sometimes I wish I was Canadian."

Finn was amused. "Canadian? Why?"

"Well think about it. No one wants to bomb them constantly or hates them because of their nationality, you know? They're just there, living their lives. I imagine it would be very peaceful. Plus, I like their national anthem. Now you tell me a silly secret."

Finn thought for a moment. "A silly secret huh? Ok. I've never actually seen any of the _Godfather_ movies, which is totally against the Guy Code. Every time I've tried to watch them, I fall asleep. I've always had to pretend when people start talking about them." He looked at Rachel. "Alright. Rachel Berry, tell me a guilty pleasure."

Rachel suddenly looked embarrassed. "This is going to make me sound about 90 years old, but I really love watching British Television on PBS."

"British Television? Can't say I've ever seen it."

"Oh it's great!" Forgetting about playing hard to get, Rachel excitedly got up and moved next to Finn on the couch. "See it's on all Friday night, a bunch of different shows. The humor and jokes are just awful, but I love it."

She started animatedly started describing the shows. Finn, more focused on how cute she looked describing the shows than the shows themselves, felt the urge to kiss her growing stronger each second.

"And then there's _Keeping up Appearances. _That's my favor-" Rachel was cut off mid sentence by Finn reaching over and pulling her in for a kiss. She was unprepared for the kiss, but soon felt herself responding, enjoying the feel of his soft lips against hers. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him tighter to her. Loving the feeling of his hands cupping her face, she felt a warm glow overtake her, turning her body to mush. The few times she'd kissed boys had felt nothing like _this_. Rachel felt as if she could kiss Finn forever. Just as he started to run his tongue over her lower lip, Tina's advice annoyingly popped into her head and reluctantly, Rachel pulled away. "Wait. We just met. Don't you think it's too fast?"

Finn ran a hand through his hair, causing Rachel to wish that was her hand instead. "Yeah, you're right. Too…"

He was cut off by Rachel crashing her lips against his and tangling her fingers in his hair. Placing his hands gently on her back, he started to push her backwards on the couch. Trailing kisses along her jawbone, he tried to ignore the thought in the back of his mind that told him getting into her pants the first night was _**not**_ the way to make her fall in love with him.

Pulling away from her, he stared at her huge brown eyes, and her lips, swollen from his kisses. It took every ounce of his self control not to grab her and continue to kiss her senseless. Instead, proud that he was showing such great self-restraint, he merely said, "We just met. I don't want you to do anything you'd regret in the morning."

_When you think he's hooked, leave_.

"Maybe I should leave, it's late and I have work early." Rachel stood up, straightening her dress, walking towards the door. She paused, her hand on the knob.

"Oh, Finn? Fun Fact about me: I always fall asleep during _The Godfather_ movies too." With that, she walked out the door.

Finn stared at the closed door in amazement. It was official. She was a_ goddess._

Running to his balcony, he watched as she climbed into the cab. He could see her leaning her head against the seat, her eyes closed. For just a moment, he saw her look back in his direction, giving Finn one last look at those deep brown eyes. He was surprised to find that he really wanted to get to know the thoughts and nuances hidden behind those brown eyes, wanted to know everything that made Rachel Berry, Rachel Berry.

He was even more surprised at the shiver that ran through his body at the thought.

* * *

As she walked out of the building, Rachel spotted a cab. Hailing it quickly, she got in and gave the driver her address. Leaning back against the seat, she glanced back at Finn's building, only to see him watching her from his balcony. She closed her eyes, wanting to relive every kiss, remembering how amazing his lips felt against hers and the feeling that shot through her body each time their lips met.

"_Phase One complete,"_ she thought to herself. And now that she knew what a great guy (and good kisser) he was, she _really _didn't want to start Phase Two.

* * *

_**A/N: The "I do my own laundry" line used by Jacob is a pickup line that I have actually had said to me. And no, it didn't work for that guy either.**_

_**Rachel's guilty pleasure of watching British TV is my guilty pleasure. It really is on on Fridays. Also, her secret wish to be Canadian, as well her reasoning for it, is my silly secret. **_


	5. You can quote me on that

_**Disclaimer: Nothing about Glee belongs to me. Neither do the New York Mets or Mr. Met. If they did, no way would Oliver Perez be reporting to Port Saint Lucie.**_

* * *

**_If your head tells you one thing and your heart tells you another, before you do anything, you should first decide whether you have a better head or a better heart. _**

**_-Marilyn Vos Savant_**

* * *

**_Friday_**

"Ok, spill. I want every detail from the moment you met." Mercedes eagerly unwrapped her sandwich, waiting for Rachel to finish opening her yogurt and start talking. Next to Mercedes, Tina poured dressing on her salad, ready to start planning Phase II.

"Well, after Finn saved me from that horrible guy…" Rachel began, smiling at the memory.

"Finn? Is that his name?" Mercedes cut in.

"Yes, it's Finn. Finn Hudson."

"Hmm. Finn and Rachel. Rachel and Finn. Mr. and Mrs. Finn Hudson. I like it. It's got good potential." Mercedes mulled over the name possibilities, letting the names roll off her tongue. "What's Finn short for anyway?"

"What difference does it make? She's dumping the guy remember?" Tina reprimanded. "Now go on with the story so we know what to do next."

"It's short for Finnegan, Mercedes, and like I was saying, he saved me from that horrible Jacob guy by pretending he was my boyfriend and we had dinner reservations. Jacob followed us outside, so Finn decided he really did need to take me to dinner, and then after dinner we went back to his apartment for drinks. We kissed a few times, and then I left." At the mention of the kisses, Rachel went pink around the edges, attempting to avoid looking at Tina and Mercedes.

"He kissed you? Describe!" Mercedes was on the edge of her seat, waiting for details.

"Well we were playing _Tell me something_…" Rachel began.

This statement was greeted by a loud groan from Mercedes. "You did **_not_** play that game we used to play at sleepovers! How old are you?"

"I was trying to play hard to get! He wanted me to sit next to him, so I tried to distract him," Rachel defended, crossing her arms. "Anyway, he seemed to think it was fun, and in the end I ended up next to him anyway, so I don't see what the big deal is."

"Fine. You played some stupid game. Go on." Tina sighed. Between Rachel looking starry eyed when she talked about the date and Mercedes practically planning Rachel and Finn's wedding, she was never going to be able to figure out what the next move would be.

"He asked me to tell him a guilty pleasure, so I was describing my favorite British shows." She ignored the eye rolls she received at the mention of the TV shows, and continued.

"But he cut me off and started kissing me. The kisses started to get deeper, so I cut _him_ off, saying we were going too fast. He agreed, and then I started kissing him. He pushed me backwards so I was lying on the couch and just as he started kissing my neck, he stopped, so then I figured it was time to go." Rachel blushed, embarrassed to be sharing the private moment. Usually, she was the one listening. "He watched me leave from the balcony," she confided.

"Girl, why didn't you call when you got home?" Mercedes chided. "Remember, so we'd know you weren't dead in the river? I kept calling your cell phone."

"I forgot. Plus, my cell phone is in my purse, and I left my purse in the storage compartment of his motorcycle."

"He has your purse?" Tina stared at Rachel, a weird look in her eye.

"Yeah, it was annoying because I didn't have any money to pay the cab or the keys to my apartment! I had to borrow money from the doorman."

"But _he has your purse_."

"Yes, we established that. Why are you staring at me like that?"

"Remember last night, when I gave you that envelope that I got from the bartender and told you to keep it in your purse because I only had the wristlet?" Tina pushed away the remains of her salad, still sporting that weird look in her eye.

"Yeah, I could barely fit that envelope in my purse. What about it?"

"That envelope contained the World Series Tickets I told you about. The ones I bought for you and me off the bartender the other day because he had to miss the game?" Tina slowly looked from Rachel to Mercedes.

Rachel squealed excitedly. She'd been looking forward to going to the game with Tina. She'd been thrilled when Tina - who hated baseball - had told her she knew someone trying to get rid of tickets. She'd insisted that if Tina got the tickets, she had to accompany Rachel, because Rachel was sure if she could just get Tina there, she'd love baseball as much as Rachel did.

"Rachel, if Finn finds those tickets, I guarantee you'll be hearing from him. Your inadvertently leaving your purse behind has given us our next move. Let's practice your phone skills."

* * *

Finn, Artie and Mike all stared at the little black clutch perched on the edge of Finn's desk.

"So that's it?" Mike asked, turning on the desk lamp as if it was an X-ray machine allowing him to see the contents inside. "Did you open it?"

"Absolutely not. My mom and Kurt drilled it into me from a young age that you **_never _**go into a woman's purse. Apparently it holds deep dark secrets," Finn replied, trying to appear nonchalant. Inside though, he was dying of curiosity, wondering what Rachel would deem necessary to carry around.

"Really, how interesting. My mom never told me that, so…whoops!" Using his right arm, Artie "accidentally" knocked the clutch off the desk and onto the floor. The impact caused the clutch to pop open. Within seconds, the floor was littered with the contents of the purse.

Mike and Finn sprung forward to pick up everything, while Artie watched from his wheelchair with a satisfied smirk on his face. "Well, what do we have?"

"Let's see, a cell phone, tiny wallet, some change, some kind of makeup compact, a lipstick, and what's this?" Mike pulled out something that was partially sticking out of the purse by the tips of his fingers. "Gross! Dude, it's a tampon!"

Dropping the tampon back on the floor, he looked at Finn and smirked. "Guess you didn't have to go slow. You wouldn't have gotten any anyway."

"Grow up." Picking up the tampon to put it back in the purse, Finn realized that there was something blocking everything else fitting in the little purse. "Geez, I think you need a college degree to pack a purse."

Pulling out the offending item, he realized it was an envelope. Not just any envelope. An envelope that had the famous New York Mets logo in the upper left hand corner. An envelope in which he could see a part of a ticket through the envelope window. Looking up at Artie and Mike, he silently held out the envelope. All three stared at the envelope in awe as Finn slowly pulled out two tickets for Game One. Tonight.

"Allie! Get me the number for Rachel Berry at _Maquillage_ ASAP!"

* * *

"Delivery for Rachel Berry."

Rachel stared in awe as a beautiful bouquet of purple roses was brought to her desk. Mercedes grabbed the card off of it. "_Some cards are sent to say I'm sorry; some are sent to say thank you. This one was sent to say you're special, just for being you,"_ she read aloud. "Awww. Damn girl, white boy has a way with words."

Rachel, who was too busy admiring the flowers to chastise Mercedes about her language, rolled her eyes. "He's in advertising, remember?"

Turning back to the flowers, she inhaled deeply. Although she'd made it seem like it was nothing special, she'd felt butterflies in her stomach when Mercedes had read the card aloud.

"Why do you think he sent flowers though?" Mercedes wondered, as Tina walked in, fresh from a meeting with Emma. At the sight of the flowers on Rachel's desk, Tina grinned.

"Isn't it obvious?" At the blank looks she received from Mercedes and Rachel, she continued. "He found the tickets."

"So what should I write on the Thank You note?" Rachel asked. She started rummaging around in her desk, looking for the stack of Thank You cards she kept there, debating which of the designs she should send Finn. Maybe the one with the kittens would work.

"Rach, this is a guy, not your Great Aunt Martha. You _do not _write a super hot guy a _Thank You card," _Tina hissed, in shock that she even had to voice that.

Rachel looked up from her rummaging. How was she supposed to know you didn't send thank you cards to super hot men who sent you flowers? She'd never had flowers sent to her from someone other than her fathers. Purple roses were her favorite. She didn't remember telling Finn that last night, but maybe purple roses were standard beginning of the relationship flowers. She'd have to ask Mercedes later, when Tina wasn't around. She knew Mercedes wouldn't laugh at her for wondering that.

Before Tina could say anything, the phone rang. Rachel sprung for it, but Tina got there first and put her hand over it. "Wait at least 3 rings just in case it's him."

Rachel waited the required time, picked up the phone and answered, trying to calm herself.

"Hello, Bachel Rerry speaking." Horrified, Rachel tried to correct herself. "I…I mean Rachel! Rachel Berry speaking!"

_"Rachel? Is that you?"_

Rachel mouthed _Finn_ to Mercedes and Tina and reached into her desk for the index cards she had prepared that morning in case he called about the tickets. Cradling the phone closer to her ear, she could feel the smile beginning to form on her face.

_"It's me, uh, Finn. Finn Hudson. How are you?"_

"Well, I'm kind of embarrassed. I just got a delivery of roses in front of the whole office." Reading off the first card, she started spreading out the remaining index cards, prepared to play hard to get once again.

_"You're welcome. So I have something that belongs to you."_

"I know. My purse. I can't _believe_ I forgot it," she replied, placing emphasis on the word believe, just like the index card said.

_"You'll probably want it back, especially since you'll need those tickets tonight."_

"True. I'd be really mad if I got to Citi Field and realized I forgot them. What kind of Mets fan would I be, missing Game One of the World Series? Wait, did you go through my bag?"

_"A bad one. Fortunately for you, I'm a fantastic Mets fan, so it would even out your badness. And no, I did not go through your bag. My designer Artie knocked it off the desk."_

"Is that so? I'm sorry but I'm going with someone else," Rachel grinned as she read off the card, listening to Finn chuckle.

_"Please. You know you want to take me to the game."_

Boy did she ever.

"Well… alright. Pick me up at the corner of West 43rd and 7th at 5:30. Bye." As she had been instructed, she hung up the phone leaving Finn hopefully wanting more.

"Did I do ok?" She looked at Tina and Mercedes for confirmation.

"Perfect." Tina looked at Rachel hard. "You know what you need to do right? Start doing the things on the list during the game." She mimed flipping a switch with her hands.

Rachel nodded. She knew what she was _supposed_ to do, but it was definitely not what she _wanted_ to do.

* * *

Finn couldn't believe that he was at the World Series. He'd been a Mets fan for years, even before moving to New York. His mom had once told him that the Mets were his father's favorite team, and as a result, they immediately became Finn's. One of the first things he and his mom had done when they moved to Long Island was attend a Mets Game. As awesome as it would be to be here with his father (or even Burt his step-dad, who'd been green with envy when Finn called to rub it in), being at the game with Rachel was pretty great. She knew all the players and the rules, yelling when the ump made a bad call, booing the opposing team or cheering when the Mets scored.

Not to mention she looked really hot in her little David Wright jersey and jeans.

Mr. Met must have noticed how hot she looked in her jersey because he came over to select them for a picture. Finn was only slightly jealous when Mr. Met stood in between him and Rachel for the picture, wrapping an enormous arm around Rachel's shoulder, his large hand hanging close to an area of Rachel where Finn would like to put his own hands.

They'd even made it onto TV after a commercial break when the camera zoomed in on them as they shared a pretzel to go with their beers. They'd found out about being on TV after Burt had texted Finn to tell him and also to ask how much more a beer was during a World Series game.

Burt had also given him the heads up that his mom wanted to know who the pretty brunette was, so Finn was mentally preparing his answers to the questions he was expecting from his mother tomorrow, since he _knew_ she'd be calling.

The game was going into the bottom of the 9th, with the Mets down by one run, when Finn felt Rachel slip her hand into his. "Finn?"

"Yeah?" He looked down at her, only to find her staring up at him with those big brown eyes.

"Could you get me some ice cream? Please?"

"Now? It's almost the bottom of the ninth. How about we get ice cream after the game?"

"But I'm really in the mood for ice cream now. Never mind. I'll just go get it." Slipping her hand out of his, she made a show of going to walk past him out into the aisle.

"No no, I'll get it for you." Finn figured the ice cream stand would be empty. Maybe he could run and get back before the inning started.

"Great! I'd like chocolate from the Carvel stand." She turned her attention back to the game, just as the announcer announced, "_Now batting, the shortstop Jose Reyes."_

Finn turned and walked up the stairs to the concession stand, annoyed that he was missing his favorite player at bat. The concession stand was empty, so he walked up to the nearest cashier, who promptly put a _Next Register Please_ sign in front of the register. He could hear a cheer go up from the crowd as Reyes took Ball One. Sighing, he quickly walked over to the next register. "I'd like a cup of chocolate ice cream, please."

The cashier, an elderly lady, looked at him and slowly began to recite her speech. "For another dollar, you can get the ice cream in a souvenir batting helmet…."

"No, I want chocolate, no batting helmet." He could hear groans now, which probably meant Reyes took a strike.

"Do you want sprinkles or no sprinkles?" The lady held up two cups, waiting for Finn to choose.

"I want that one," he said, randomly pointing to the one in her left hand. He heard more groans. Throwing down a ten dollar bill, he grabbed the ice cream and a spoon, and took off at a run, yelling at her to keep the change.

"What did I miss?" he panted, handing Rachel her ice cream.

"Reyes struck out," she replied, opening the lid, ready to eat her ice cream.

He turned his attention back to the game, hoping to see some Mets scoring. Cheering when Beltran got a single, he looked down at Rachel, expecting to see her cheering along with him. Rachel, however, was looking down at her ice cream and biting her lip.

"Rachel, Beltran got a single! Why aren't you cheering?" Rachel didn't say anything, but looked up at him, still biting her lip. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing."

"Rachel, seriously, I can tell something is wrong. Just tell me what it is." Finn glanced at the field, noticing that the other team had called a time out and was having a conference on the mound. Perfect timing, since he could now concentrate fully on Rachel and whatever is bothering her.

"It's stupid." Still biting her lip, a faint blush graced her cheeks.

"If it's bothering you, then it's not stupid."_ Damn she looked adorable biting her lip like that._

"It's just…this ice cream has sprinkles. I hate sprinkles. Couldn't you have gotten me one without sprinkles?"

Finn turned and looked down at her again. "Are you serious? That's what bothering you?"

"Forget it; I'll just pick every single little sprinkle out." She sighed, ready to begin picking the offending sprinkles out.

"Rachel, I'll just get another one. It's no big deal." Finn took off at a run, since the time out on the field was now over. If he had looked back, he would have seen Rachel take a huge scoop of the ice cream -complete with sprinkles- and place it in her mouth.

Running back to the same concession stand, he yelled out, "I need chocolate. No sprinkles." Seeing the lady wasn't moving fast enough for him, he smacked the counter and repeated "Chocolate. No sprinkles."

He heard cheers coming from the stands again and just wanted to get back to his seat as quick as possible. He was just handing the cashier the money and getting ready to run, when he heard the unmistakable sound of a ball connecting with a bat followed by the stadium erupting into cheers. He tried to get back to his seat to see what happened, but the crush of people flooding the hallway cheering the win hindered him. By the time he got back to his seat, the field had practically cleared and the grounds crew was coming out to work on the infield.

"What happened?" he asked, once again handing Rachel her ice cream.

"Oh Finn, it was amazing! After Beltran got that single, David Wright hit a home run to Center Field that went right into the parking lot! The Jumbo-Tron said it was a new Mets record!" Rachel was so excited; she was jumping up and down.

Great. A game winning Home Run which set a new record for distance, and he missed it because of damn sprinkles.

* * *

Riding behind Finn on his motorcycle, her arms wrapped securely around his waist, Rachel had time to reflect about making him miss the winning home run just to get her ice cream. She felt bad, especially since she'd eaten the one with the sprinkles while he was gone. She'd tried to make him (and herself) feel better by sharing the second ice cream as they sat in the near empty stadium, but she still felt guilty. If this was how she was going to feel afterwards, she was glad she'd secretly decided before the game that she'd only do one crazy thing to him tonight.

Finn pulled up to her apartment building and she reluctantly climbed off. Removing her helmet, she handed it to him, smiling at how sexy he looked in his own helmet.

"So Ray, tell me another Fun Fact. Let's see. You're a writer, so how about a favorite quote?"

She looked at him. "Ray?"

"Yes, Ray. No one calls you that?"

"Not really." She tried to keep a poker face, but inside her heart was beating a mile a minute and a smile was threatening to grace her face. _He'd given her a nickname._

"Good. Then I have my own personal nickname for you." He leaned in, placing a soft kiss on her cheek. "Now tell me your fun fact."

She pretended to think about it, although in reality the instant he had said favorite quote, she'd known how she would answer. She hesitated, unsure if she should just give him another quote, one that was not so, well, _lovey_.

She decided to go for it. Something told her he wouldn't laugh at her for saying it. Taking a deep breath, she started to recite the lyrics from one of her favorite songs.

"**_Oh, but heaven knows those years without you_**

**_Were shaping my heart for the day that I found you_**

**_If you're the reason for all that I've been through_**

**_Then I'm thankful for the day before you."_**

He stared at her, not saying anything, his face unreadable. Rachel started shifting uncomfortably, until Finn took her hands in his, entwining their fingers. "Wow. That's very deep. I never thought about it like that before. I like it. Where's it from?"

Rachel who had relaxed as soon as he took her hands in his, smiled widely. "I'm glad you like it. What about you?"

"Ray, I'm a guy, the only quotes we know are the ones like _I'll be back_ and _Hasta la vista baby_," Finn replied, doing his best _Terminator_ impression.

Rachel suppressed a giggle. He was so damn adorable. "Well Finn, I'm not letting you off the hook. I expect you to find a meaningful quote and report back to me. Take your time and really search. Maybe then you'll find where mine is from."

"You're giving me homework?"

"Yes. I love quotes; I have notebooks filled with my favorites. I once read that quotes can get you through days when you think no one knows what you're going through, so I like to hang a quote in my office that reflects my mood."

"Interesting. What happens if I can't find one? Do I get Detention?"

"Well….I would have to inform your mother," Rachel told him, playing along.

Pretending to think about it, he looked at Rachel and grinned. "My mom used to be really scary whenever she got a call from my teachers. I'll take the homework." With that, Finn gave her a final kiss on the forehead and pulled out into the traffic.

Rachel was left standing on the sidewalk, a goofy smile on her face. She'd had a great time hanging out with Finn, even with the Ice Cream Incident. Gone was the Rachel Berry who was content to be alone, focusing on her writing. Like the quote said, that was the day before him. She knew she was falling and hard. Unless she could think of another solution, she needed to up the crazy and get him to dump her._ Fast_. The quicker this article was over, the quicker she could confess why she acted the way she did and they could be together for real.

After all, he couldn't be mad at her for doing her job….right?

* * *

_**A/N: Rachel's favorite quote is lyrics from Rascal Flatts' song "The Day Before You." If you haven't heard it, it's a beautiful song.**_


	6. Hell Hath No Fury Like a Woman Scorned

_**Disclaimer: Glee doesn't belong to me.**_

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* * *

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_**It's a curious thought, but it's only when you see people looking ridiculous that you realize just how much you love them.**_

**-Agatha Christie**

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* * *

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_Saturday_

Finn hated when Will made the office work on Saturdays. He could think of much better things he'd rather be doing with his Saturday than listening to Will drone on, criticizing everyone's work, which was what Will was doing at the moment.

"Crap. More crap. Words can't even describe how crappy it is. The crappiest of all." Each expletive was accompanied by Will dropping finished work in front of its rightful owner. Finn, whose work had been returned at "more crap" looked up as the conference room door opened, knowing it meant some kind of interruption to the boredom of the meeting. He was surprised, however, to see his own secretary at the door.

"Excuse me, Mr. Schuester?" Allie timidly made her presence known.

"Yes, Allie what is it? We're very busy here," Will replied, clearly irritated.

"It's just that there's a phone call for Finn."

"Allie, take a message and tell them I'll call back later," Finn said, knowing how Will felt about people receiving phone calls during office meetings.

"It's _Rachel_." At those words, the entire conference room went silent. Santana and Quinn exchanged glances, as did Mike and Artie. Finn himself looked at Will, silently asking permission to take the call.

"Fine. Take the call, but be very quick about it." Will turned his attention back to the rest of the group, ready to carry on his meeting. Unfortunately for him, everyone was focused on Finn, who had just reached for the telephone.

"Hello?"

"Finny, it's meeeeeeeeee! I miss you so much!"

"I miss you too. Can I call you back? I'm in a meeting right now." Finn tried to keep his voice low, but it was no use. Everyone in the room was able to hear what he was saying to Rachel, although they were pretending -very badly- that they weren't.

"Oh! I'm sorry, it's just that I can't wait to see you!"

"Well I can't wait to see you either. How about we make plans for tonight?" Finn could see Will motioning to wrap up the conversation.

Really? I'm soooo excited Finny! Meet me at 53 West 35th Street at 8!"

Ignoring the fact that she'd called him Finny twice, Finn hung up the phone, a smile on his face, excited about seeing Rachel tonight. Even if she sounded a little drunk on the phone.

* * *

Rachel hung up the phone, taking a deep swig of beer Tina had placed in front of her. "How'd I do?"

"Perfect. But did I just hear you give the address for…?"

Rachel nodded. "The one and only."

Tina let out a low whistle. "You're getting good at this Rach. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy."

Rachel felt bad about it. She really did. But it was all for the cause… right?

* * *

"This is getting serious. We need to do something," Quinn hissed to Santana. If that phone call and the look on Finn's face afterwards were any indication, there was no way Finn would be dumping Rachel anytime soon.

Santana, who had been watching Finn write down an address and time on a piece of paper, turned to Quinn and smirked. "Not a problem. Leave it to me."

* * *

Finn got out of the taxi, looking in disbelief at the building in front of him. She had to be pulling his leg_._ He was starting to think that Rachel really was drunk when she suggested he meet her here. This didn't seem like her kind of place and it _certainly_ wasn't his.

Maybe he could find her inside and convince her to go somewhere else. Reluctantly, he opened the door, took a deep breath, and walked inside.

* * *

Rachel waited anxiously at a table for two. Knowing how crowded this place got, she'd arrived early. She'd been hoping that Mercedes and Tina could come for moral support, (while seated at a distance of course), but Tina flat out refused and Mercedes was scrambling to finish her article.

"Excuse me is this seat taken?" Rachel looked up to see Finn smiling at her. She'd been so absorbed in her plans for tonight, she'd failed to see him come in.

"Finn! I'm so glad you made it! I ordered you a beer, I hope you don't mind." She watched as he removed his coat and sat on the seat across from her.

"Not at all." Glancing around, he ran his fingers through his hair. "So. Karaoke huh?" Rachel saw him wince as the person on stage started a particularly painful rendition of "_My Heart will Go On_."

_Bingo._

"Oh, yes! It's such a great way to express your emotions." She looked at the pained expression on his face and instantly felt bad. She began to think she couldn't go through with her plans for tonight. Maybe they should go somewhere else, she certainly wouldn't mind that. _Shit_. One look at his adorable face and she was softening. _Think of the article. The quicker he dumps you, the quicker you can confess. _

Finn raised an eyebrow. "Expressing your emotions? I wouldn't have pegged a Karaoke bar as a place where you like to express your emotions. You seem more like an expressing emotions in private kind of girl. "

Damn, how was he able to read her like a book? Before she could respond, a new voice interrupted their conversation.

"Finn? Is that you?" Rachel looked up to see a beautiful young woman about her own age, dressed in a too short skirt and low cut halter top, eyeing Finn up and down.

"Oh, hey Allie. Ray, this is Allie, my secretary. Allie, Rachel." Rachel, whose back had been raised at the sight of this woman eyeing Finn, relaxed instantly when she heard the carefree way Finn said the word "secretary." The fact that Finn seemed oblivious to Allie's advances didn't hurt either.

"Hello, Allie, it's so nice to meet you in person. I think we spoke on the phone today. Would you like to join us?"

"Oh, I couldn't impose. I just came to say hello on my way to the bar. It's so rare to see Finn out and about. He's _always_ working," Allie punctuated this statement with a roll of her eyes.

"I'm not always working!" Finn protested. As if on cue, his cell phone rang. He glanced at the ID screen, seeing it was Santana. He smiled apologetically at Rachel and stood up. "Rachel, I'm sorry, but I have to take this, it's work. It'll only be minute." Rachel nodded and smiled.

"Don't worry Finn. I'll keep Rachel company." Allie made herself comfortable in the chair Finn had vacated. Already preoccupied with his phone, Finn nodded and walked away.

"So, how long have you worked with Finn?" Rachel asked, trying to start a conversation.

"Oh, about 3 years. Everybody just _loves_ Finn."

"I could see that, he's very easy to get along with." Rachel smiled, watching Finn speak on his cell phone outside, while throwing his hands in the air. Could he get anymore adorable?

"Oh, he's very popular around the office. Especially with the ladies, if you get my meaning. I can't tell you how many times I've had send flowers, sometimes to different girls on the same day. I've got the florist on speed dial." Allie laughed before continuing. "Funny, I thought he was seeing Ana. I just made dinner reservations for them Thursday night at McKinley's. God, she's beautiful. I _wish_ I had her body." She peered at Rachel. "Are you okay?"

Rachel had grown pale listening to Allie. As she processed the words, the rage began building inside her. "I'm fine."

"Oh, there's my date! I have to go. It was so nice meeting you, Rachel." With that, Allie jumped off the stool and disappeared into the crowd.

Rachel sat frozen in place. Anger clouded her brain, as Allie's words played on an endless loop in her head.

_Funny, I thought he was seeing Ana. I just made dinner reservations for them Thursday night at McKinley's..._

So he **_was_** on a date the night they met.

He'd blatantly lied to her and led her on. Not only that, but apparently the gorgeous flowers he'd sent her were standard practice for him.

She felt like such a fool for believing that someone like Finn could even be remotely interested in her.

Rachel Berry did _not_ like to be made a fool of. She grabbed her drink and downed it. For good measure, she grabbed Finn's beer and chugged it until it was empty. Signaling the waitress to bring more, she sat back, letting the alcohol invade her system and waited.

Finn Hudson was going _down_.

* * *

Over at the bar, Allie was sending a text message. It simply read: _She totally bought it._

Scrolling though her contacts, she found the names she was looking for.

Moments later, in other parts of the city, both Quinn's and Santana's cell phones beeped indicating a new text message.

_

* * *

_Finn walked back into the Karaoke bar, visibly annoyed. He couldn't believe Santana had called him for something so stupid. Seriously, wanting to know if there was a meeting on Monday morning? Why didn't she just call her secretary? He wandered back over to Rachel, calming himself down.

"Sorry. Santana just had a quick question." He sat back down across from her, attempting to take a swig from his beer, looking down at it curiously when he realized it was empty. "I'm all yours now."

"It's totally fine, Finn. Allie and I had a _most_ interesting chat." Rachel replied, hoping her smile was convincing. Finn thought he detected something amiss in those big brown eyes, but it was gone in an instant. Her smile grew wider when she saw the KJ go up to the microphone.

"Finny, I have a surprise for you!" Rachel exclaimed, clapping her hands together excitedly. The waitress came over with a new beer for Finn and another Malibu Bay Breeze for Rachel, who promptly downed hers again, signaling for another. Finn raised an eyebrow; shocked to see her downing her drink, although that might explain why his first beer was suddenly empty. She was also swaying a little unsteadily on her chair, he noticed.

Before Finn could ask what the surprise was, the KJ started talking. "All right ladies and gentlemen, we have a special surprise for you! We have a Karaoke Virgin in our mist! Here at Karaoke Heaven do we like that?"

The crowd responded with "Hell no!" Finn watched amused. You couldn't pay him to sing in public like that.

The KJ continued. "Well then, let's get him up here to sing! Finn Hudson, come on down!"

Finn, who had just taken a swig of beer, almost choked when he heard his name.

Rachel began patting his back. "You're not mad are you, Finny-Bear? I thought it would be a wonderful outlet for your emotions after Allie told me how hard you work!"

Finn, too in shock to answer, paled as he heard his name again. "Finn Hudson, where are you? Don't be shy! We're all friends here at Karaoke Heaven!"

"I…I don't have a song to sing," he said to Rachel, hoping the KJ would just give up and move onto the next name.

"Oh, don't worry about that Finny. I wrote down my most favorite song ever." Rachel turned in the direction of the stage yelling "Here he comes! He's over here!" Everyone turned to look in their direction.

_Great_. Now that Rachel announced his presence to the whole bar, he was going to have to go through with this.

Slowly, Finn got up and walked to the stage. "Well all right! Ladies and Gentlemen, Finn Hudson!" The KJ walked to the side of the stage, ready to cue the music to start.

Finn looked to Rachel for reassurance. The smile on her face gave him the strength he needed. He smiled back. Maybe this wouldn't be as bad as he thought; it was just a song after all.

Once he heard the music start, he realized he was wrong. It was _so_ much worse than he thought.

* * *

Rachel had all she could do to keep from laughing. As soon as she heard the opening notes start playing she held up her cell phone to record the performance. Mercedes and Tina would _love_ this. She wondered what Finn would do, would he sing or run? Right now, he was sporting a look of sheer mortification on his face, but to his credit, he began singing, following the words on the screen.

_Hi - Hi! We're your Weather Girls - Ah-huh -_  
_And have we got news for you - You better listen!_  
_Get ready, all you lonely girls_  
_and leave those umbrellas at home. - Alright! _

_Humidity is rising - Barometer's getting low_  
_According to our sources, the street's the place to go_  
_Cause tonight for the first time_  
_Just about half-past ten_  
_For the first time in history_  
_It's gonna start raining men._

_It's Raining Men! Hallelujah! - It's Raining Men! Amen!_  
_I'm gonna go out to run and let myself get_  
_absolutely soaking wet!_  
_It's Raining Men! Hallelujah!_  
_It's Raining Men! Every Specimen!_  
_Tall, blonde, dark and lean_  
_Rough and tough and strong and mean_

_God bless Mother Nature, she's a single woman too_  
_She took from the heavens and she did what she had to do_  
_She taught every angel to rearrange the sky_  
_So that each and every woman could find her perfect guy_  
_It's Raining Men! Hallelujah! - It's Raining Men! Amen!_  
_It's Raining Men! Hallelujah!_  
_It's Raining Men! Ame-nnnn!_

_I feel stormy weather / Moving in about to begin_  
_Hear the thunder / Don't you lose your head_  
_Rip off the roof and stay in bed_

_God bless Mother Nature, she's a single woman too_  
_She took off to heaven and she did what she had to do_  
_She taught every angel to rearrange the sky_  
_So that each and every woman could find her perfect guy_  
_It's Raining Men! Yeah!_

Rachel was impressed. His voice wasn't bad, and by the second verse, he started to get into it. Finishing the song with a flourish, he gave the microphone to the KJ and started to walk off the stage.

"Let's hear it for Finn Hudson!" the KJ announced as Finn made his way back to Rachel.

"Finny! That was so great!" Rachel, alcohol now controlling her actions, ran to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down so she could plant kisses all over his face. Finn, feeling that this was his reward for going through that mortification, pulled Rachel close to him and let her continue her ministrations. Wanting to get back to their table, he hoisted her up by her waist, letting her wrap her legs around him and he began walking to the table. She stopped kissing him momentarily, staring into his face.

"That was fantastic Finn! I'm so glad I signed you up for the contest!" She returned to placing kisses strategically along his jaw line.

Finn, having just reached the table, stopped short. "Wait what?"

"The Contest that starts in a few minutes! I signed you up! Don't worry, you just have to sing one song and I already picked it. It's my other favorite song. I just know you'll do great, Finn. You're such a fantastic singer!" Rachel hopped down from Finn and returned to her seat. She looked at him, her big brown eyes showing worry. "You're not mad at me, are you Finny-Bear?"

"No no, I'm not mad Rachel. I'm just not prepared to sing," he assured her. Rachel beamed. Inside, he was terrified. If Rachel's one of her favorite songs was "_It's Raining Men_" what the _hell_ was her other favorite?

_Please be something manly. Please be something manly._

Mike and Artie would never let him live it down if word got out about this. Oh God, was Allie still here? He hoped not. She was always gossiping with Santana's secretary and this was prime gossip material.

"All right ladies and gentlemen it's time to start our contest! Let's hear it once again for Finn Hudson, our first contestant!" Finn walked up to the stage with trepidation, afraid of what song awaited him.

Once again, he took the microphone.

And once again, he was mortified when he heard the music start.

He looked to Rachel to get the support he needed, took a deep breath and began.

_Hiya Barbie_  
_Hi Ken!_  
_You wanna go for a ride?_  
_Sure, Ken!_  
_Jump in!_  
_Ha ha ha ha_

_I'm a Barbie girl in the Barbie world_  
_Life in plastic, it's fantastic_  
_You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere_  
_Imagination, life is your creation_

_Come on, Barbie, let's go party_

_I'm a Barbie girl in the Barbie world_  
_Life in plastic, it's fantastic_  
_You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere_  
_Imagination, life is your creation_

_I'm a blonde single girl in the fantasy world_  
_Dress me up, make your time, I'm your dolly_  
_You're my doll, rock 'n' roll, feel the glamour and pain_  
_Kiss me here, touch me there, hanky-panky_

_You can touch, you can play_  
_If you say I'm always yours, ooh ooh ooh_

_I'm a Barbie girl in the Barbie world_  
_Life in plastic, it's fantastic_  
_You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere_  
_Imagination, life is your creation_

_Come on, Barbie, let's go party, ah ah ah, yeah_  
_Come on, Barbie, let's go party, ooh ooh ooh, ooh ooh ooh_  
_Come on, Barbie, let's go party, ah ah ah, yeah_  
_Come on, Barbie, let's go party, ooh ooh ooh, ooh ooh ooh_

_Make me walk, make me talk, do whatever you please_  
_I can act like a star, I can beg on my knees_  
_Come jump in, be my friend, let us do it again_  
_Hit the town, fool around, let's go party_

_You can touch, you can play_  
_If you say I'm always yours_  
_You can touch, you can play_  
_If you say I'm always yours_

_Come on, Barbie, let's go party, ah ah ah, yeah_  
_Come on, Barbie, let's go party, ooh ooh ooh, ooh ooh ooh_  
_Come on, Barbie, let's go party, ah ah ah, yeah_  
_Come on, Barbie, let's go party, ooh ooh ooh, ooh ooh ooh_

_I'm a Barbie girl in the Barbie world_  
_Life in plastic, it's fantastic_  
_You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere_  
_Imagination, life is your creation_

_I'm a Barbie girl in the Barbie world_  
_Life in plastic, it's fantastic_  
_You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere_  
_Imagination, life is your creation_

_Come on, Barbie, let's go party, ah ah ah, yeah_  
_Come on, Barbie, let's go party, ooh ooh ooh, ooh ooh ooh_  
_Come on, Barbie, let's go party, ah ah ah, yeah_  
_Come on, Barbie, let's go party, ooh ooh ooh, ooh ooh ooh_

_Oh, I'm having so much fun!_  
_Well, Barbie, we're just getting started_  
_Oh, I love you Ken!_

Rachel really had to hand it to him. She could see that he was horrified by the song, but he cast his horror aside, and performed. He even did the different voices for Barbie and Ken. As before, he walked off the stage to applause.

"Finny! Oh my God! You were wonderful!" This time, she waited till he was seated to attack. Jumping into his lap, she squeezed him tightly before kissing him all over his face.

"Thanks Ray. You didn't sign me up anymore did you?" Rachel paused her kissing to stare at him.

"No, I didn't. Why? Do you want to sing again?"

"No no. I don't want to sing again. If I go up there to sing, that's less time I have to spend with you." He emphasized this by slipping his arms around her waist and nuzzling her neck, moving her hair out of the way so he could place his lips on the soft skin behind her ear.

Damn that felt good. Rachel almost forgot how mad she was at him. _Almost_.

* * *

_**A/N: I can't believe that Becky used my nickname for Finn! No one had ever called him anything other than Finn on the show! I'm actually ahead in my writing, which is why I can post my chapters so quick. I had just finished writing the chapter after this one, where the Finny-Bear nickname comes into play big time when "Silly Love Songs" aired and Becky called Finn "Finny-Bear."**_

_**The inspiration for this chapter came from my friend Mark, who, like Finn, was tricked into singing "It's Raining Men" on a Karaoke stage.**_

_**From here on out, the things that happen in the movie, will not necessarily be happening in my story, other than the dog.**_

_**"It's Raining Men" belongs to the Weather Girls and "Barbie Girl" belongs to Aqua.**_


	7. A Bear of a Problem

**Disclaimer: Still don't own Glee**

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"_**You don't get to choose, you just fall ... and you get this person who is all wrong and all right at the same time. And you know that you love them so much except sometimes they just drive you completely insane and no one can explain it and the reason it's so confusing is because it's love. But if love didn't have any challenges, what would be the point?"**_

_**-Julia Sallinger, Party of Five**_

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**_Sunday_**

"I can't believe you made him sing that!" Mercedes cried. She and Tina were almost doubled over laughing, watching Finn's performances from the night before. The girls were having their usual Sunday morning brunch while Rachel nursed her hangover and filled them in on all the details.

Well almost all. For right now, she was keeping Allie's bombshell to herself. She didn't know why, but she felt like she needed to handle this on her own.

Maybe because if she admitted it out loud, it would be like admitting how much she liked him.

"Are you telling me that after being tricked into singing "_Barbie Girl_" and "_It's Raining Men_" he _still_ wants to see you?" Tina demanded.

"Yup. And that's not all. He _won_."

Rachel could barely suppress a laugh as the sight of Finn receiving his Karaoke crown popped into her brain. "He's at his office now, catching up on some work, but he's actually cooking us dinner tonight to celebrate his victory."

"So what's the plan then? What's next on the list?" Mercedes glanced at the infamous list, which Rachel had placed in the middle of the table. "Have you given him a nickname yet?"

"I kept calling him Finny and Finny-Bear." Secretly, Rachel got a thrill out of calling him Finny-Bear, because he was so darn cuddly and adorable, even if he was supposedly a womanizer. "Actually, calling him Finny-Bear gave me an idea for something that's not on the list." She hesitated before continuing. "Here's what I was thinking…" Quickly she outlined her idea for Tina and Mercedes.

When she was finished, Mercedes laughed. "Oh, I got this one. I can definitely help you."

Tina groaned. "Why am I not surprised?"

* * *

Thanks to Mercedes, Rachel arrived at Finn's apartment well prepared. Knocking on the door, she let herself in when he called out to come in. Finn, bending down to check on whatever was in the oven, simply told her to make herself at home, not looking at her. If he had, he would have noticed the giant box under one arm, while the other arm dragged a massive stuffed bear by the ear into the apartment.

Rachel, taking his invitation to make herself at home literally, immediately got to work. Quickly, she placed the massive stuffed bear in the corner of the room, where it would be prominently displayed. It had been Mercedes' idea to get the big teddy bear that was almost the size of Rachel, but the stroke of genius to embroider "Finny-Bear" on the bear's shirt belonged to Tina.

She placed several more stuffed animals on the couch, along with a framed picture of herself on the end table. Several issues of _Ladies Home Journal_ were now splayed out on top of a lace doily on the coffee table.

Walking into Finn's bathroom, she pushed aside his _Sports Illustrated_ Magazines and comic books that were on top of the toilet bowl, replacing it with a tissue box in the shape of a French Perfume store. She quickly ripped his shower curtain down and replaced it with a pink one with drawings of high heels and bottles of perfume on it. She threw the cup Finn used to hold his toothbrush aside, placing his toothbrush in a toothbrush holder in the shape of a bedazzled high heel that matched the curtain. A lace covered garbage can, matching towels and bathmat completed the room.

Going in for the kill, she went into his bedroom, stripping Finn's simple blue bedspread off the bed and spreading a gorgeous albeit feminine floral bedspread on it instead. The finishing touch was the placement of several throw pillows that matched the bedspread and two penguins. One penguin was wearing a tuxedo and a top hat that read "Finn", while the other was dressed as a bride, with a tiara that read "Rachel". Stifling a laugh, she walked back into the living room, just as Finn came in holding two glasses of wine, still dressed in his suit from work.

"I hope you're hungry because dinner will be in 5 minutes. I thought we'd eat first and then wat-" He stopped as he noticed the changes Rachel had made.

Taking her glass of wine from Finn, Rachel watched silently as his eyes darted from one thing to the next. She could practically _see_ the desire to run on his face, but his face suddenly became unreadable. She shifted uncomfortably, trying to figure out what that meant.

"So, uh, what's all this?" he asked in a strange voice.

"You don't mind do you? I thought the place could use a feminine touch," Rachel told him, using the power of her big brown eyes on him.

_Damn those eyes._

"It looks, uh, great. I don't know why Kurt didn't think of these touches." Whatever, he'd just hide everything when the guys came over.

Rachel clapped her hands together. "I'm so glad you like everything! Did you notice this?" She pointed to the massive stuffed bear in the corner, proudly pointing out his embroidered shirt.

"Finny-Bear, meet stuffed Finny-Bear. You don't know how _hard_ it was to find a bear as cuddly as you. And then it took me all afternoon to decide on a shirt color for him. I know your favorite color is blue, but I wasn't sure which shade of blue, so I got a bunch of different shades of blue shirts and embroidered his name on every one. You can change his shirt every day after you get dressed!" Rachel clapped her hands excitedly. "Oh, just think! If you wear a blue shirt and so does he, you'll match!"

She picked up a little doll suitcase next to the bear, opened it and showed him a dazzling array of every possible shade of blue shirts imaginable, each monogrammed with "Finny-Bear".

God, even to Rachel's ears, she sounded insane.

Finn stared at her, unable to say anything. _Matching shirts?_ Was she crazy? There was **no way in hell** he'd match outfits with a stuffed bear. And where the _fuck_ was he going to hide a bear that size when the guys came over? That thing had to be at least 4 and a half feet high.

Eyeing his stuffed counterpart, he forced himself to remain calm. _Think of the account. Think of the account. _"Are you ready for dinner?"

Rachel skipped happily over to the table. Sitting on the chair Finn pulled out for her, she noticed that he'd turned on the Mets pregame show. She watched the show while she contemplated her next move.

She had thought for sure that the stuffed bear would have put him over the edge, especially after she mentioned the matching shirts, but he'd barely batted an eye. She thought she'd seen the horror in his eyes when she described how he could change the bear's clothes each day, but it was gone in an instant again replaced by something unreadable.

Finn, now proudly wearing his Karaoke crown, was just bringing out the salmon and potatoes, when her next move popped into her head.

"For dinner tonight, the kitchen has prepared a wonderful salmon, with a side of potatoes and string beans."

Setting the platter down on the table, he picked up the knife and cut a generous piece for Rachel. Rachel waited until he had placed the piece on her plate before she started tearing up. _Thank God _she'd always been able to cry on demand, something that had served her well growing up, whenever her fathers wouldn't let her do something.

"Ray? What's wrong?" Finn asked anxiously. He wasn't _that_ bad of a cook, despite what Kurt said.

"Fish makes me gag," Rachel whispered. It was true too. Even if this was a normal date, she'd be in the same predicament. She truly hated the sight of fish, the smell, everything.

He leaned closer to her, his tie dangling in her face. Inspired, she grabbed his tie and used it to wipe her eyes, practically choking him as the tie pulled him closer to her.

"You don't eat fish?" Finn asked stupidly. _Shit._ Salmon was his best meal. How was he supposed to impress her with his fantastic cooking skills now?

Rachel, now using the end of his tie to blow her nose, simply nodded. "I can't even stand the smell of it. Can you take it away before I throw up?"

Finn sighed. "Okay fine. How about we get something delivered?"

Rachel looked at him. _Seriously? _She'd just redecorated his apartment, refused to eat his food and used his tie as a tissue. Why wasn't he angry? She'd be fuming. This was just adding to her list of reasons why he was amazing.

Not that she'd been keeping a list, after what Allie told her.

Nevertheless, she stopped her fake crying and put on a super happy face. "Really Finn?"

"Absolutely. What do you want? I have a bunch of menus in the kitchen." Bringing the offending fish into the kitchen, he banged his head against the cabinets before rummaging through the drawers looking for menus.

He didn't know Rachel was behind him until he felt two small arms wrap around him from behind. He stayed still for a moment, letting the feeling of Rachel wrapped around him melt away his frustrations about the redecorating and the failed dinner.

"Finny? Can we order Mexican?" Rachel pressed her head against his back, inhaling his scent.

"We can order anything you want," Finn told her, turning in her arms.

Wrapping his own arms around Rachel, he pulled her tighter into his body. Rachel snuggled into him. It was at moments like this, when he held her in his arms, that she felt like there could be no other woman named Ana in Finn's life. Somehow Allie must be mistaken, because standing here in his arms, she knew that no one else could fit in his arms as perfectly as she did.

* * *

Having successfully ordered the Mexican food and then changed his clothes, Finn settled onto the couch next to Rachel, who'd wandered back into the living room to watch the Mets game. Placing his arm around Rachel, he gave her a lopsided grin when he felt her curl into his side. He began playing with her hair as he turned his attention to the game.

Yeah, he could get used to this.

Rachel chose that moment to look up him. He glanced down, losing himself in those deep brown eyes, feeling a need to have Rachel's lips on his own. Finn gave in to the desire, placing a tender kiss on Rachel's lips. Rachel responded eagerly, positioning herself so she was straddling his lap. She tangled her fingers in his hair, tugging on it softly. Finn gave an involuntary moan when he felt Rachel suck his bottom lip gently, before running her tongue over it. Their tongues began doing a dance as the kiss grew more passionate.

_Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. "_Mr. Hudson, delivery for you," Francesco, the doorman announced through the intercom.

Both Finn and Rachel paused, the spell broken. Rachel climbed off of Finn, watching as he attempted to calm himself before going to the intercom and telling Francesco he'd be right down. Winking at Rachel, he grabbed his wallet and went to collect their dinner.

_Whoa. What was she doing?_

Rachel leaned back into the couch. As much as she wanted to keep kissing Finn, and she _really_ wanted to, she was supposed to be driving him crazy enough to dump her. She'd been so impressed at how he handled her refusal to eat the fish, that she couldn't help herself when she wrapped her arms around him in the kitchen and again just now.

Later, when this article was over and Finn had (hopefully) forgiven her, she could kiss him all she wanted.

_Shit._

She'd temporarily forgotten about the whole Ana problem. Remembering what Allie had told her, the anger slowly started replacing the lingering feeling left over from his kiss.

She _had_ to focus on the task at hand. She needed to figure out what would drive him the craziest. Nothing she'd thrown at him so far had really fazed him. Once or twice she'd seen a look of panic in his eyes, but it never lasted for longer than a second.

Glancing at the TV, she got an idea. Scrolling through the channels quickly until she found what she wanted, she waited for Finn to come back.

* * *

Finn rode the elevator impatiently. He wanted to get the food and get back to Rachel as quickly as possible, to continue what they'd started before the intercom interrupted them. He paid the delivery boy and ran back to the elevator.

"Okay Ray, food's here, and the game should be starting. Are you ready?" Finn walked over to the couch, setting the bag on the coffee table, and sitting down next to Rachel. She leaned her head against his shoulder and started rubbing her hand on his arm as he unpacked the food.

Handing Rachel her Chicken Flautas, he settled back into the couch with his own dinner, placing his legs on the table, ready to watch the Mets battle. Rachel tucked her legs under herself and leaned against Finn contentedly. Finn glanced down at her and smiled, before turning his attention back to his beloved Mets.

But wait. This wasn't the Mets. This was…_The Sound of Music_?

"Uh Ray, what happened to the Mets?" he asked, taking a bite of his Chimichangas.

Big mistake. He almost choked when he heard her answer.

"Oh, Finny, the Mets were on commercial so I was flipping the channel and I found The Sound of Music! Isn't it wonderful? It's one of my favorite movies, and now we can watch it together!" Happily, Rachel took a bite of her Flautas, eyes glued to the screen.

"But..but Rachel, it's _Game 2_ of the World Series. _Game 2._ We can watch _The Sound of Music_ anytime. This only happens once," Finn pleaded, desperate to get the TV off the nuns who were now singing "_How Do You Solve a Problem like Maria?_" and back to the Mets.

Rachel turned her attention from the screen. Using her eyes to her advantage, she looked at Finn. "Finny, this is _The Sound of Music_, one of the greatest movies of all time. It's a special showing of the movie. They're showing extras and doing interviews with the cast, so we _cannot_ watch this anytime. Don't you _want_ to watch this with me, Finny-Bear?" Rachel turned her face into a pout.

"You know I do, it's just that I was planning on watching the Mets game with you." Finn looked at her pouting face and large eyes threatening to spill over with tears.

_Damn those eyes_.

If Rachel was going to play dirty and try to manipulate him with her eyes, he was going to do the same thing. Putting his food down on the table, he leaned into Rachel wrapping his arms around her and nuzzling her face, beginning to place soft kisses along her jaw line and neck.

"_Finny_. This is my favorite part." He could feel her weakening as he began aiming for that spot behind her ear, knowing how much she enjoyed that last night.

"_Finn!_ We're missing the movie,_" _she protested weakly. He smiled against her neck when he heard a small moan escape from her lips.

Reaching her ear, he gently tugged on her earlobe with his teeth before murmuring, "Wouldn't you rather see the Mets win than find out if the hills are alive?"

Rachel gave a small moan, which he took as a yes. Returning to her neck, he blindly reached past her with his free hand to grab the remote to change back to the game. Unfortunately, he knocked the framed picture of Rachel over when he tried to grab the remote, causing Rachel to look at what made that noise.

Damn he was good. He _almost_ got her.

Preparing for battle, she opened her eyes wide, snuggled into him, and looked up at his face. "Finny, I can't tell you how excited I am to share this movie with you. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and you get to experience it with me. Aren't you thrilled?"

Finn threw his head back on the couch and sighed. This was going to be a _long_ night.

* * *

The movie was _endless_. Finn had fallen asleep several times, only to be woken up every time by Rachel coming back from using the bathroom yet again. The girl peed more times than a dog at a fire hydrant. Each time, she'd come back smiling, ready to cuddle with Finn. That part, he didn't mind. She fit into his arms perfectly. He'd just rather she cuddled while watching the Mets.

He couldn't even text Mike or Artie to find out the score because he'd left his phone in his bedroom and Rachel was apparently the only one who could leave the couch. Every time he'd tried to get up, she'd claimed that he "needed to see this part" or she'd wrap herself around him, making it impossible for him to move.

* * *

Rachel had forgotten how long _The Sound of Music _was. She'd managed to keep tabs on the game by sneaking into the bathroom each time Finn fell asleep (looking _so_ sweet) and calling Mercedes for updates. The last time he fell asleep, she'd snuck into his bedroom and silently turned on the TV, muting it just in time to see the Mets lose the game when Reyes swung at the first pitch he saw, making an easy out and ending the game.

Disappointed, she'd returned to Finn, wanting to be comforted in his arms.

* * *

The movie _finally_ ended. Finn escaped to the bedroom to grab his cell phone. It was dead. _Crap._

Running back to the TV in the living room, he quickly changed the channel. "We can see the highlights of the game," he called over his shoulder to Rachel, who was putting the remains of their dinner in the garbage. "Oh, perfect! They're showing the highlights now!" Finn stood in front of the TV shifting from foot to foot, too anxious to know if they won to even sit.

Rachel followed, sitting on the couch among the stuffed animals. She watched silently as the highlights were shown, until they showed the events leading up to the Reyes at bat.

As the TV showed Reyes waiting his turn to bat in the on deck circle, Rachel spoke. "I can't _believe_ he swung at the first pitch!"

Too late she realized her mistake. Finn finished watching the play, turned off the TV in disgust and plopped on the couch next to her.

"How did you know he was going to swing at the first pitch?"

Rachel attempted to correct her mistake. "He…he _always_ swings at the first pitch," she told him, stating it as if it was common knowledge. She hoped it was enough to get him away from the topic.

It wasn't.

"What are you talking about? Reyes never swings at the first pitch!" He turned to look at her, awaiting her response.

Clearly, he wasn't going to drop this. There was only one thing that Rachel could think of that would distract him. Forcefully, Rachel grabbed the inside of his thigh. Surprised, Finn looked down at her hand, watching it stroke the inside of his thigh. Rachel chose that moment to climb onto his lap, kissing his neck. She started unbuttoning his shirt, kissing his chest as it became exposed.

"Does Fraulein Maria want to come out and sing?" she asked in between kisses.

Finn, who had just started moving his hands towards Rachel's ass, immediately stopped. "I'm sorry, who?"

"Fraulein Maria, silly!" Rachel stopped kissing his chest long enough to look up at him under her eyelashes. "Let's see if the hills are alive!"

"Uh, who's Fraulein Maria?" God, her kisses felt amazing on his bare skin.

Rachel, who had just unbuttoned the last shirt button, and was now working on his belt, squealed and pointed towards his groin area.

"Whoa whoa whoa." Finn jumped up off the couch, almost knocking Rachel off his lap. She sat down on the couch, taking one of the stuffed animals in her lap. "You cannot name my member Fraulein Maria."

"Why not? She's my favorite character."

"You just _**can't**_ Rachel." She watched as he began pacing the room.

"Would you like a different character? What about Kurt?" Rachel threw that in, knowing it was sure to get a reaction.

She was right.

Finn stopped pacing and ran a hand through his hair, his face contorting in horror when Rachel mentioned the name Kurt.

"Okay, first of all, Kurt's my brother's name and therefore can never be mentioned in the same context as my member. Second of all, if you're going to name it, it's got to be something totally masculine, like Big Johnson. Or Vlad the Impaler."

"Sorry, I didn't know the rules. What was the name you just said?" Rachel asked, using the stuffed animal in her lap to point at Finn.

"Johnson?"

"No, the other one. What was it?"

"Vlad. As in Vlad the Impaler."

"Well I have something that could use impaling. Do you think Vlad could help me?" Rachel stood up, walking over to Finn. She ran her finger down Finn's exposed chest and along the waist of his pants.

"You know, Vlad's in a bad mood today. I don't think he'll want to help." Finn looked down at her, hoping she'd get the hint.

"Oh. Well in that case, I'd better go." Caressing his cheek, she began walking towards the door. "Don't forget to change Finny-Bear's shirt. I think he'd like to wear Cerulean tomorrow," she called out over her shoulder as she walked out.

Frustrated and humiliated, he grabbed a stuffed dog off the couch and threw at the closed door.

_What the hell had just happened? Fraulein Maria? Was she insane?_

Forcing himself to calm down, he ran out the door after her.

_

* * *

_

Laughing to herself, Rachel walked into the elevator. The look on Finn's face when he realized what she meant by Fraulein Maria was priceless.

Just as the doors were about to close, a hand came between them. It was Finn.

"Tomorrow night is my company softball game. Do you want to come?" he blurted out.

"Really? You want me to come?" Rachel punctuated the question with a giggle.

"Absolutely." _As long as it's normal, sexy Rachel,_ Finn added in his head.

"Of course I'll come! Call me tomorrow!" She blew him a kiss as he stepped back and let the doors close.

Once the doors were closed, she leaned her head against the wall.

_What?_

_

* * *

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A/N: I know I said that things from the movie wouldn't necessarily end up in my story, but the idea of naming Finn's junk "Fraulein Maria" was just too good to pass up. Next chapter will be up in a day or two and it's my favorite so far...any guess as to who Finn's softball team might be playing?


	8. Softball Scheming

**_Disclaimer: Glee is not mine_**

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**_Honestly, if you're not willing to sound stupid you don't deserve to be in love _**

**_- A Lot Like Love_**

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**_Monday_**

"Try sparkle."

"Sparkle: Glisten, gleam. No good," Artie announced, reading from the thesaurus. "We've been at this for hours, why don't we take a break?"

"Good idea. I need a break. Rachel has called me 27 times this morning," Finn announced, picking up a stress ball and squeezing it hard. Artie simply smiled and rolled out of the room towards the break room.

"Are you serious? 27 times?" Mike asked with an incredulous look on his face.

Saying nothing, Finn walked over to his desk, picked up his phone and played his messages.

_You have 27 old messages._

_First message received at 7:38 AM. "Finn, it's Rachel. Just making sure you got to work ok."_

_Message #2 received at 7:41 AM: "Finn, it's me. Are you there?"_

_Message #3 received at 7:51AM: "Finn, why aren't you answering? Are you sick?"_

_4 Messages received at 7:52 AM: "Finny, I'm getting really worried. Why aren't you answering?_

_Message #8 received at 7:55 AM: "Finny, have you been murdered? Call me and let me know if you've been murdered."_

The rest of the messages just got worse from there. Message #17 had Rachel calling the police. Messages 20, 21, and 22 had Rachel accusing him of not answering his phone because he was having an affair.

"Whoa." Mike stared at the machine in awe.

"Tell me about it. That's in addition to the 12 she left on my cell phone." Finn ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "Now you know why she's driving me crazy," he called over his shoulder as he went to join Artie in the break room.

"Well at least you still have _Fraulein Maria_," Mike commented slyly, jumping out of the way as the stress ball sailed past his head. Laughing, he walked over to Finn and Artie by the vending machine.

"Wait. I thought that after Game 1 and dinner the night you met her, that she was amazing," Artie questioned, watching as Finn pounded his head against the machine.

"She was. That was the awesome Rachel. She was sexy, beautiful, easy to talk to, and fun. But there's another Rachel, the one who is psycho, bat-shit crazy, and just plain insane."

"Maybe she's bi-polar?"

"I've got it! There was a tampon in her purse, I bet she's surfing the crimson wave!" Mike looked excitedly from Finn to Artie before continuing. "Think about it. Women always get even more emotional and crazier than normal while they're PMSing. You've known her for 4 days right? I think a period only lasts a few days. I bet she'll be back to Sexy Rachel soon!"

Finn, who hadn't considered this, stared at Mike. "Dude, you are a genius! But uh, how do you know so much about periods?"

Before Mike could answer, the door to the break room opened.

"FinFin! There you are! I thought you were hiding from me!" Rachel stood in the doorway, looking gorgeous. Over her shoulder was a large tote bag.

"Rachel? What are you doing here?" Based on the fact that she'd called him FinFin, he could only assume that this was Psycho Rachel.

"I was out shopping nearby, so I figured I'd stop in. Besides, I needed to know where the game is tonight. Are you mad I came Baby Bear?" she asked, her brown eyes threatening to spill over.

"Not at all, I'm always thrilled to see you, you know that."

"Oh, Finny!" She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her, frantically placing kisses on his lips and neck.

Mike, who had been watching this scene with amusement, loudly cleared his throat. The noise caused Finn to pull Rachel off of him to begin the introductions. "Rachel Berry, this is Artie Abrams and Mike Chang. Mike, Artie, this is Rachel."

"Finny-Bear has told me so much about you two!" Rachel gushed as she shook each of their hands.

"Ah, well, Finny-Bear has told us so much about you also."

Finn watched in trepidation as Artie answered Rachel and exchanged a smirk with Mike at the same time. He _knew_ he was never going to live down being called Finny-Bear. They'd probably try to work it into every conversation from now on.

"I'm just so excited to finally meet you two. I wish you had been able to join us for karaoke the other night. Finny was fantastic!" Rachel exclaimed, her arms wrapping around Finn's waist.

"Karaoke?" Mike and Artie asked in unison, each looking at Finn in amusement.

"You mean he didn't tell you? Finny entered the karaoke contest and he won!" She looked up at Finn, admonishing, "Finny, how could you not tell them?"

"Yes, Finny, how did we not know about this?" Mike mocked, trying to contain his laughter.

"So Rachel, what did Finny-Bear sing to win the contest?" Artie asked, an evil grin forming on his face. This was _so _revenge for the time Finn wrote "_For a good time call Artie_" complete with Artie's cell phone number on the wall of that gay bar they'd gone to on Kurt's birthday. He'd had guys calling his cell phone for months.

"Well, first Finny sang "_It's Raining Men_" but it was his fantastic rendition of "_Barbie Girl_" that really won the contest for him." She paused, rummaging through her purse for her cell phone. "Actually, I recorded it. I can send it to your work emails, if you want."

"_**Please!" **_Mike and Artie again yelled in unison. Rachel fiddled with the phone, quickly punching in their emails as they recited them.

Trying to distract Rachel from saying anything else about the contest, Finn put his arm around her shoulder. "What's in the bag?"

"Finn, this isn't a bag, it's a carrier! On my way here, I saw a pet adoption drive going on, so I had to stop and look. I found this little guy and knew he'd be perfect to complete our little family!" Rachel could harldly contain her excitement as she put the bag on the table.

Opening the carrier, she pulled out a small dog. He was white, with big brown spots on him, much like a cow. His eyes and ears were much too big for his face, making him look like a bug. "Don't you think he's perfect?"

"Uh, wow. What is he?" Finn asked, as Rachel held the little dog out to Finn, who held him up examining him.

"He's a Chihuahua of course. Isn't he _so_ sweet?" she asked, turning to Mike and Artie for confirmation.

"Oh, he's very sweet. The bug eyes are cute too. What do you think Finny-Bear?" Artie offered, grinning at the dirty look he got from Finn.

"Arthur! Watch what you say around Vlad! He's already sensitive about being an orphan. He doesn't need to be reminded about his looks," Rachel reprimanded, taking Vlad back from Finn and cuddling him to her chest.

"Vlad?" Mike had to ask. Finn stayed silent, although he had a feeling he knew what was coming.

"Vlad. As in Vlad the Impaler," Rachel explained, sounding surprised that Mike didn't immediately make the connection between the little Chihuahua and Vlad the Impaler.

"Ah, of course. Because that's such a normal name for a Chihuahua." Mike looked at the little dog, trying to stifle a laugh. Beside him, he could see that Artie was doing the same. "Well, we better get back to work now."

"Oh, don't go! Vlad and I just came by to find out where the game is tonight. We're going to cheer Daddy on, aren't we Vladdie?" Rachel cooed as she snuggled Vlad in her arms.

"It was really great to meet you Rachel," Artie called out as he and Mike headed in the direction of the office. Finn watched them ready to race back to their offices, knowing that they were running to check their email.

"Bye bye!" Rachel called after them, waving Vlad's tiny paw, before turning to Finn, who was now writing something on a piece of paper. "Oh, can you get dog food? I forgot to buy it and I have a million things to do today."

"Sure Ray. Here's the address of the game." He handed the paper to Rachel, steering her out the door and towards the elevator. "I really need to get back to work now, but I'll see you at the game, right?"

"Of course Finn. I can't wait!" Seeing Allie watching out of the corner of her eye, she gave Finn one last kiss and stepped into the waiting elevator.

Finn turned, dreading going back into his office where he was sure total humiliation was waiting for him.

* * *

Rachel walked through Central Park, Vlad on his leash beside her as the headed for the ballfields Finn had specified earlier. She wasn't kidding when she told Finn she had a million things to do today, she just neglected to mention that they'd had to do with ways to torture him. If the stares she was getting from the people in park were any indication, Finn was going to be in for a shock and she might be publicly dumped once again. Self conscious, she zipped up her hoodie.

A tinge of sadness clouded her brain at the thought. Even though she was still furious that he'd told her he was single when he was apparently dating this Ana girl, she'd still enjoyed every second she'd spent with him, not to mention every kiss. That was the one thing she didn't have to think or act about. Kissing Finn felt natural, something her body did on instinct.

_NO._

She was not going to think of his soft lips, or the way their hands fit perfectly together or even his firm chest.

_NO._

To be honest, part of her had hoped that she'd have walked in on him and Ana together this morning, so she could get dumped and get him out of her system.

But if she was really honest with herself, she'd say that there was a bigger part of her that was holding out hope that he and Ana really were just friends and that Rachel was the one he wanted to be with.

Reaching the field, her eyes immediately sought out Finn. He was in the outfield, looking sexy in his red "Schuester Advertising" T-shirt and black basketball shorts, throwing the ball back and forth with Mike. Rachel paused, allowing herself to just stare.

"Hey, Rachel, right?" Startled, Rachel looked to her left to find Artie in his wheelchair beside her. "And Vlad came too!"

He looked down at Vlad, who had started to sniff his wheels. Bending over he scooped up Vlad, placed him in his lap and began petting him. Vlad's eyes immediately closed, his leg twitching as Artie hit the right spot.

"Hi Artie, are you on the team too?" Rachel smiled at him, pleased at how he was treating Vlad.

"Normally, I keep the score, but since we're playing a team we have a bit of history with, they need an impartial scorekeeper," Artie replied, glancing at the area of the field where the opposing team was practicing. Rachel could see a tall blonde woman in a track suit shouting through a bullhorn at her team.

"Their coach looks a little scary. Where are they from?" Rachel agreed, her eyes going back to Finn, who was laughing at something Mike said.

"You ever hear of Sylvester Total Fitness? The gyms are all over Manhattan. The blonde with the bullhorn is Sue Sylvester. Every time we've played her team, she's found some way of cheating."

Rachel looked back at the blonde. "Really? How do you cheat at softball?"

"She once claimed there was a 6 foot height limit for players and tried to get Finn and Mike kicked out of the game for being taller than 6 feet, since they're the best hitters we have. Last time, she tried to bring in a couple of Yankees to play on her team, claiming they were her employees." Artie looked at Sue, who happened to be coming their way, with a look of pure loathing.

"Wheels!" she barked through her bullhorn. "Have you handed in your roster? I want to check it to make sure everyone's eligible. Did Schuester have Hudson's and Chang's bats tested for cork like I asked? Lose the dwarf and what I think is a dog and get me that roster!"

Artie rolled his eyes. "Sue, I gave it to Becky 15 minutes ago." Rachel stayed silent, still trying to figure out if she'd been insulted or not.

Satisfied, Sue started walking away, yelling through her bullhorn for Becky.

"See what I mean? When we play Sylvester Total Fitness, it gets personal. She insulted you, me and Vlad in one fell swoop. You've just got to laugh it off. Want to sit?" he offered, pointing to the first row of the bleachers.

"Sure," Rachel said, almost a little shyly. She'd only ever had one guy friend, but Artie seemed like he'd be a really nice guy friend. Sitting on the end of the bench next to Artie's wheelchair, she looked at him out of the corner of her eye. "I'm sorry if I bothered you at the office today, I was just so excited about Vlad."

"Oh, it's no problem. I think Finn was happy to see you," Artie replied, figuring he'd help Finn out. Maybe Finn was exaggerating about Rachel's antics. She seemed normal enough now. Mike's Period theory was looking more and more likely, in his opinion.

"Have you been friends long?" Her eyes scanned the field watching as Sue Sylvester once again yelled in her bullhorn at her team.

"Oh we met about 7 years ago. We started working at the same time, but we hang out all the time too, along with Mike. Finn's a really great guy."

"I think so too." Rachel hesitated, dying to ask Artie. _Screw it_. Summoning up her courage, she looked at Artie, Vlad still content in his lap. "Artie? Who's Ana?"

Quickly, she averted Artie's gaze, not wanting him to see her reaction.

"Ana? I don't know anyone named Ana."

"Ana. She works with you guys. She and Finn had dinner on Thursday at McKinley's."

Artie shook his head. "Rachel, there's no one named Ana in our office."

Rachel stared at Artie, confused. Was Finn that much of a womanizer that Artie couldn't even keep track of his women?

"Wait, do you mean _Sant_ana?" Rachel thought she detected a note of scorn in his voice. "If you mean Santana, she's a Marketing Director at work."

"Does she…does she work with Finn a lot?" Rachel was almost afraid to ask.

"Santana? Almost never. I doubt Finn would _want_ to work with her. She's referred to by Mike, Finn, and I as The Ice Queen." Artie looked at her curiously. Rachel was looking down at the ground, avoiding him.

"Is she beautiful?" Still staring at the ground, she spoke this so low that Artie actually had to lean closer to hear it, Jesse's words playing on an endless loop in her head.

"She's gorgeous, but her horrible personality detracts from it." Artie was concerned. Why did she keep asking about Santana? Artie wasn't lying when he said she was gorgeous, but honestly, Rachel was up there on the hotness scale too.

"Does Finn find her beautiful?" Again, the question was asked in a whisper.

"Rachel, why are you asking all this?" Artie was concerned. How did she even know Santana anyway?

He tried to catch Finn's eye to call him over to deal with this, but Sue chose that moment to direct her bullhorn at Finn.

_"Hudson! I demand to see the latest drug test results for you and the Asian. If you don't have it, have no fear. Becky! My urine sample cups!"_

Finn finally looked over in Artie's direction. Ignoring Sue, he jogged over to where Artie and Rachel were sitting. Rachel was looking down at the ground, idly tracing a pattern in the dirt with her shoe, while Artie was nodding towards Rachel in a meaningful way.

"Hey, Rachel!" Rachel gave a barely audible hello in return, still looking at the ground.

"Finn? Can you fix my wheel?"

"Sure, Artie, no problem." Finn bent down, curious about what was going on.

"She keeps asking about Santana and if you think Santana's beautiful. Talk to her," Artie told Finn in a whisper.

_Shit._ This was the stuff Finn was never good at; this type of conversation was where his word vomit was most likely to surface.

Bending down in front of Rachel, he placed one hand on her knee, while Artie rolled away to a discreet distance, Vlad snoring away on his lap.

"Ray?"

When he got no answer, he used his other hand to lift up her chin, forcing her to look at him. He pushed her hair off her forehead. She looked so small and vulnerable. "What's going on?"

"Why did you send me flowers?"

"What do you mean? I sent you flowers because I thought you'd like it." Finn was baffled. What was she getting at?

"Do you send flowers to _her?_"

"Who?"

"Santana."

"Baby, I don't understand. Why are you asking about her?" Finn was honestly confused. She'd never mentioned even knowing Santana before. He took her hands in his, rubbing circles with his thumbs.

Finally gathering her courage, Rachel asked the question she'd been dying to ask. "Do you think she's pretty?"

"Where is this coming from?" He continued rubbing circles with his thumbs, attempting to soothe her.

"Just answer my question. Do you think she's pretty?" Rachel looked into his eyes; trying to see if she could determine the answer there.

"Rachel. I'm not going to lie. She's super hot, but she's most definitely not my type." _Shit. _There goes the word vomit. He hadn't meant to say any of that out loud.

If he wasn't sure if that was word vomit or not, Rachel's crestfallen face was confirmation. She pulled her hands away from him, placing them in her lap and looking down at them.

"Are you dating her?" she whispered.

"Am I dating _Santana_? Are you insane? Have you met her? She's hot, but a total frigid bitch."

"But you went out with her on Thursday." Again, Rachel whispered this last part, still afraid to look at him.

"No I didn't. We met for a meeting. Rachel, look at me." Hardly daring to believe what she was hearing, Rachel looked up at him.

"I promise you that I am not now dating, nor I have _ever_ dated, Santana. Okay?" He cupped her chin in his hand. "Now give me a smile."

Rachel gave him a forced smile, her mind racing. _Could it be true? He really was single?_

"Baby, you're scaring the kids with that smile." He grinned as Rachel laughed. "Feel better?"

When she nodded, he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. Rachel felt her insecurities melting away as he deepened the kiss, her hands resting on either side of his head, only to have their moment was interrupted by Sue Sylvester.

_"Hudson! Macking on a dwarf during a game is grounds for a forfeit. It's in my contract!"_

Finn felt Rachel smiling against his lips as he paused his kissing at the unwelcome interruption. Finally breaking away, he leaned his forehead against hers. "I have to go kick her ass, but we'll talk later ok? Artie! Keep Rachel company."

With a final kiss on her forehead, Finn jogged onto the field. Rachel watched him go, a true smile forming on her face.

Once again, the bullhorn was targeted at Finn. "Well, look who's ready to join us! Hudson, that shade of lipstick is not your color!"

* * *

Artie wasn't kidding when he said Sue played dirty. She cheated and schemed every possible way she could. Rachel couldn't believe some of the antics she tried. Most of her rants and schemes were directed at Will Schuester, Finn and Mike, since it was clear they were best players Schuester Advertising had.

Rachel watched as Mike hit a home run, putting Schuester Advertising up 3-2. She jumped out of her seat, bouncing up and down as she cheered.

Sue, incensed, grabbed her bullhorn and leapt to her feet in the dugout. "Are you insane, ump? Jackie Chan clearly hit a foul ball. I demand a video replay!"

The umpire, clearly used to her antics, simply ignored her.

Feeling that Finn could use her support, Rachel unzipped her hoodie, revealing her hot pink T-shirt underneath. The shirt proudly bore the words "_Team Finn_" across the front, a picture of Finn that she'd secretly stolen from his apartment and scanned, underneath it.

She reached for Vlad, who was currently on the ground while Artie went to get a drink, pulling a little dog sized shirt that matched her own out of her bag and slipped it on the little Chihuahua.

There. She and Vlad were officially ready to cheer Finn on.

She was still sort of sticking to her plan, but in light of recent discoveries, she abandoned the rest, which involved being loud, running into the dugout and trying to kiss him constantly.

Although she wouldn't mind doing the kissing part.

"Well what do we have here?"

Artie came rolling back, laughing at Vlad in his "_Team Finn_" shirt. Noticing that Rachel had the same one, he raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

* * *

Finn was having a great game. He'd already hit a triple and a double, much to the chagrin of Sue Sylvester, who instantly demanded the bat be tested. He didn't know if Rachel was bringing him good luck, but his position at Shortstop afforded him a great view of her sitting in the bleachers with Artie. At first, he'd been slightly freaked out when he saw the matching Team Finn shirts Rachel and Vlad were sporting, but she looked so adorable in it, he got over it quickly. She was cheering for him and his team every play, even yelling at Sue from the bleachers when she directed her bullhorn at Finn or Mike. He actually found himself jealous of Artie getting to spend time with her.

This was what confused the hell out of him. Tonight, she was acting amazing, sexy, and fun. This morning, and last night she was like an emotional Three Ring Circus. He never knew what Rachel he'd be seeing. Normally, he'd have dumped her as soon as she started acting crazy, but there was the bet to consider. Plus, when she was acting normal, she really was a goddess, like he'd told Artie.

How could he get her to stay amazing, sexy and fun? Every time he thought she was back to normal, she pulled some crazy stunt, like buying that damn bear.

He shuddered at the thought of that bear. He'd already tried to shove it in the closet, but it was too damn big.

Finn was so engrossed in his musings about Rachel that he failed to see the baseball glove sailing through the air, until it smacked him right on the side of the head, courtesy of Sue.

"Gigantor! Pay attention or next time I'll throw something harder that will be sure to hurt that dense potato head of yours!"

Finn looked around, realizing that the rest of his team had already left the field. He'd completely missed the strikeout that ended the inning. Rubbing his head where the glove had hit him, he walked over to the dugout, getting a drink from the jug and sitting on the bench. He was just pouring the water onto his head when he heard it.

"Hello, Finnegan," Santana whispered in his ear, running a finger down his chest. "I see your little girlfriend is here."

"She is, but why are _you_ here? You don't like to have fun," Finn replied as Santana sat on his lap. "What are you doing?"

"Relax Finnegan. I just thought you'd like to know that Quinn and I are steaming ahead with our pitch and William just _loves_ it." Getting off his lap, she sauntered out of the dugout without a glance back, leaving Finn fuming in her wake.

Santana was up to something, he just didn't know what.

_"Hudson! That girl is a definite improvement over the dwarf, but get your head in the game! When I beat you I want to be able savor the thrill of victory knowing you were even more committed to losing than usual!"_

Hoping Rachel didn't hear that attack, Finn turned his attention back to the game, ready to take a bat to that damn bullhorn.

* * *

Rachel was having a great time watching the softball game with Artie. When they weren't laughing at Sue's antics, he kept her amused with funny anecdotes about life with Finn. He was just telling her about the time at a Ranger game when someone mistakenly poured a beer on Finn, when Rachel saw a beautiful Latina woman walking towards the softball field. She was dressed in jeans, a low cut tank top and sunglasses. She looked vaguely familiar to Rachel, but she couldn't place her.

Rachel continued to watch as the woman walked towards the dugout, making a beeline for Finn. Stopping in front of Finn, she leaned over to afford him a view of her ample cleavage. Eyes glued to Finn, Rachel could see that she was whispering something to him. The woman placed herself on Finn's lap while she continued whispering.

"Artie? Who's that talking to Finn?" She stared as the woman got off Finn's lap and wandered over towards the stands.

"Uh, that's Santana. I don't know why she's here, she never comes to games," Artie replied, getting panicky. Santana coming here could lead to nothing good.

Naturally, Santana chose that moment to come over to Rachel and Artie.

"_Team Finn_? How cute. Where do you shop? Kids R Us?" she sneered, her eyes roaming over Rachel's outfit.

"I think it looks great and so does Finn," Artie cut in.

"Considering how you two dress, that doesn't mean much. Oh, and Artie? Tell Finnegan that Q and I have a meeting with Will tomorrow to discuss the Gala. Looks like Will is having doubts that _Team Finn_ can pull off what he promised." With that parting threat, she sauntered away to another part of the bleachers.

"You see what I mean? Total Ice Queen."

Rachel just nodded. Both shifted their gaze back to the field where Sue had just pulled the mask of the umpire towards her, letting it snap back in his face after he made a call she disagreed with.

"Maybe they should let Sue loose on Santana," Rachel whispered to Artie.

Artie laughed. "Now that I would pay to see."

Artie looked over at Rachel, noticing the tender look on her face as she stared at Finn in the dugout. Despite the scene in the office earlier, Artie was starting to think this bet would be the best thing to ever happen to Finn.

* * *

In spite of Sue's attacks with her bullhorn and her scheming on field, Schuester Advertising managed to scratch out a win, which put them into the playoffs. Unfortunately, Sue's team was already in the playoffs, so there was a very good likely hood that the two teams would be meeting again.

Finn had declined the offer to go to the bar in celebration, choosing instead to walk Rachel and Vlad home. She seemed quiet as she walked beside him, one hand intertwined with his, the other holding onto Vlad's leash. He still didn't know why she had been asking about Santana, but he didn't want to press her about it and upset her more.

"So what did you think of Sue? She's unbelievable right?" Finn asked, attempting to cheer her up.

It worked. Rachel looked up at him and started giggling.

"I can't believe she actually said she wants Mike's status as a US Citizen checked because she thinks Will imported him from China just to play on the team. And how many times did she call you Gigantor?" Rachel sounded a little indignant at that last part.

Finn laughed. "Whatever, dwarf. You should feel honored she included you. She doesn't usually attack the fans."

Rachel got quiet again. "Finn?"

"Hmm?"

"Have you given any thought to your 'homework assignment'?" Rachel glanced up at him, curious to see if he'd actually taken her advice to look for quotes thoroughly.

"Actually, I have. I have a few I like, but nothing is really resonating with me like yours does for you." He wasn't lying either. He'd known Rachel would bring it up again, and he wanted to be prepared.

The emotion she'd displayed when she recited her quote had left an impression on him. Never before had he been so moved by words. Finn still didn't know where that quote Rachel loved so much was from, but it had resonated with him also.

"The first time I heard that quote, I identified with it instantly. I felt like it explained true love so clearly. It's like yeah, the writer had this life before his love came along that was great, but he never knew everything in his life was preparing him for the day his love comes along, but that love will only come along after a series of necessary events. The person who wrote it had to be _ready_ for his love to come into his life otherwise they wouldn't appreciate it."

Rachel paused, hoping Finn wouldn't get freaked out by her explanation. She looked up at him to gauge his reaction, relieved to see he was listening intently. Feeling more confident, she continued. "Conversely, his love is going through her own experiences that are preparing her heart for the day she meets him, teaching her how to appreciate love."

"You're totally right. You really understand that quote." Finn looked down at her, impressed.

"I suppose it's like an engagement ring. The diamond shows that you appreciate the day before him, because it's the symbol of the way life unfolded to bring the two of you together..." Rachel stopped talking when she realized that Finn had stopped walking and was standing still on the sidewalk. She picked up Vlad, concerned. "Finn? Are you okay?"

Finn stood stock still, a weird look on his face. Without warning, he picked up both Rachel and Vlad, swinging them around. Rachel started laughing while Vlad licked his face.

"Finn? What's going on?" she asked as Finn put her back on the ground.

"What's going is on that you're a genius. You've just given me the most awesome slogan for the diamond campaign." He happily continued walking, his mind going a mile a minute, taking Vlad from her and placing him back on the ground.

"I'll take the credit, although I have no idea what I said." Rachel wrapped her arm around Finn's waist, snuggling closer to him as she felt Finn's arm snake around her shoulder. She'd worry about her article tomorrow. For now, she just wanted to stay like this, reliving this night over and over.

She smiled up at Finn, who glanced down and gave her a lopsided smile.

_This_ was the Rachel he wanted to be with, bet or no bet.

* * *

**A/N: I hope I did Sue Sylvester justice!**


	9. Finn's New Wingmen

_**Disclaimer: Glee does not belong to me. **_

* * *

_**If you get caught looking at him, just remember, he was looking back.**_

_**-Unknown**_

* * *

**_Tuesday_**

Finn walked into the office, a huge grin on his face. Knowing that the Ice Queens were meeting with Will right now, he walked past his office and straight to the conference room. Knocking on the door, he barged right in without waiting for an invitation.

"What do you want Finn? We're having a meeting here." Quinn looked at him, an expression of annoyance written on her face.

"Nothing much. Just thought I'd tell you the fantastic slogan I came up with for the Puckerman account," Finn said nonchalantly. He relished the look of concern Santana and Quinn exchanged.

"Well? What is it?" Will looked at him expectantly.

"_From the day before you to never a day without you,"_ Finn announced, spreading his arms for effect. He snuck a glance at Will and could see his boss was mulling it over.

"Finn, I like it, I really do," Will announced. "How did you come up with it?"

"I got from something Rachel said. You know, the girl who is coming to the Gala with me?"

"If you can get her there," Santana muttered.

"Oh she'll be there," Finn predicted, earning a glare from Quinn and Santana.

"Ladies, let's get back to work." Will looked at Finn. "Don't you have a meeting today with Adidas? You better go get ready."

Finn walked out the door, a look of triumph written across his face.

Unfortunately for him, Santana saw it, and the wheels of evil destruction in her head instantly began spinning.

* * *

Rachel glanced at Vlad sleeping peacefully on his little bed under her desk. Technically, Vlad was less than welcome at _Maquillage_, given Emma's hatred of all things that could track in dirt. She'd thought about dropping him off at Finn's office, but the thought of running into Allie again was less than desirable.

Allie.

Rachel sat back in her chair, contemplating. Why had Allie implied that Finn and Santana were dating?

_No._

That's not what she should be focusing on. She should be asking herself why Finn hadn't dumped her yet. What else could she do that would make him run for the hills?

That was part of the problem. She didn't _want _to make him run for the hills.

Before she could think about it anymore, Emma popped her head into Rachel's cubicle.

"Rachel, I am loving the story so far! Fraulein Maria was hysterical, and that stuffed bear was a stroke of genius!"

Pushing her chair in front of Vlad's bed so Emma wouldn't see him, Rachel looked at Emma. Here was her chance to tell Emma what was going on and get out of the article. "I'm so happy you like it, but I'd like to talk to you about him…"

"As a matter of fact, I thought I'd contribute an idea. I'm ashamed to say that I did this particular idea years ago and got dumped within an hour of the guy seeing it," Emma continued, completely ignoring Rachel. She pulled a small photo album out of her bag. "Tada!"

"_Our Family_? I don't understand." Rachel looked from the book to Emma confusedly.

"It's a photo album of our future life together. I used photo shop, which was new back then, to create pictures of us through the years. Freaked him out to no end," Emma explained excitedly.

"Oh, sounds great Emma!" Rachel said with fake enthusiasm. " But I really do want to talk to you about the article. Maybe we could make the article about how to _keep_ a man?" She was getting tired of doing this crazy stuff. She just wanted sort out this whole mess and be with Finn for real.

"Nonsense. This article is going to be fantastic. Try and do something truly horrendous tonight. I'll leave this book for you to peruse." Emma paused at the entrance to the cubicle. "Oh, and Rachel? Get that dog out of here. Do you know how much dirt and dog hair a dog can leave around?" Shuddering at the thought, Emma headed for her own office.

Great. She was stuck with the article, which meant she had to think of a way to get Finn to dump her.

Rachel picked up the book, randomly flipping to a page. Emma had created photo shopped pictures of her wedding day, complete with pressed flower petals from her bouquet. No wonder the poor guy ran.

She supposed since Emma brought this to her, she'd have to use the idea somehow. Before she could get any further in her thoughts, Brittany popped her head in.

"Hey Rachel! You're coming to my party tonight right?"

Rachel glanced at the invitation she'd tacked to her wall. She'd only hung it up to be nice; never really having any intention of going. She'd gone to this type of party once and swore she'd never go again. She recoiled at the memory. To Rachel's way of thinking, no one in their right mind would _want_ to go to that kind of party.

Unless…

Would she dare?

Rachel turned to look down at Brittany, who had spotted Vlad and was sitting on the floor cuddling him.

"I'd love to come, Brittany. Can I bring a friend?"

"The more the merrier! Bring whoever you want!" Putting Vlad back on his bed, Brittany stood up and walked out of the cubicle. "I'll see you at 8!"

Smiling to herself, Rachel grabbed her phone. If she was going to do this, she was going to pull out all the stops.

"Long Island, NY, please."

* * *

Finn sat at his desk, leaning his head back on his chair and closing his eyes. He'd been sitting in back to back meetings all morning and taking phone calls from companies in between meetings, thanks to a screw up on Allie's part. This was the first time all morning that he'd had a chance to just _sit_.

"Too much to handle, Finnegan?"

Knowing it was Santana before he even opened his eyes, he mentally prepared himself to deal with her. Opening his eyes, he was surprised to see her holding a cup of coffee.

Walking towards his desk, she came around and sat on the desk next to him. Putting on a sympathetic smile, she said, "I heard that Allie screwed up your schedule."

"What do you want?" Finn asked suspiciously. It wasn't like Santana to act like she had a heart.

"Well, I know you aren't used to being so busy and going to a million meetings, like I am. I figured you'd be tired, so I brought you a cup of coffee. I even asked Allie how you normally drink it."

Finn eyed the coffee in her hand. Why was she being so…_human_?

Giving her the benefit of the doubt, he decided to play nice. "Thanks Santana, I could really use a cup of coffee."

"Not a problem." Climbing off the desk, she took a step towards Finn. Unfortunately, her heel got caught on the strap of his backpack on the floor and she stumbled forward, spilling the coffee on Finn's chest. Jumping up, he attempted to wipe it off with his hands, but the shirt was clearly stained.

"Oh, I am _so_ sorry!" Santana said in false sincerity. "Why don't you take that shirt off and I'll send my secretary to the dry cleaners? You'll have it back in an hour."

"No, it's fine. I'll just wipe it." Finn sat back down and kept wiping at the shirt with tissues from his desk, but to no avail. A large brown stain was visible on his shirt.

"No, I insist. You have another shirt underneath it, I can see it. Take that off and give it to me. I insist," Santana demanded in a no nonsense tone.

Leaning so close to him he could feel her breath, she started unbuttoning his shirt. Finn looked at her wide-eyed. "What...what are you doing?"

"Oh don't be such a perv. Like I'd ever date you. I'm just helping you out." Still leaning incredibly close to him, she pulled his shirt out of his pants, sat down in his lap and continued unbuttoning his shirt.

As usual, her low cut shirt afforded Finn a very nice view of her ample cleavage, although he couldn't help but wonder what Rachel's would look like.

"There. Much better. I'll just send this out with my secretary and you'll have it back in one hour." Running a hand across his chest, now covered only in a white men's tank top, she leaned in close to whisper into his ear. "See you soon Finnegan."

Without another word, she got off his lap and walked out the door, his shirt in her hand, leaving a bewildered Finn staring after her and wondering what the hell had just happened.

* * *

Santana turned the corner, making her way to Allie's desk.

"Tell me you got that," she demanded.

"Got it," Allie replied, handing Santana a digital camera. The two of them smirked as they looked at the pictures.

"These will work. We'll just wait till the right moment to send them to that little Hobbit. She's such a loser she can't even get _Finnegan_ to dump her."

Turning to go to her own office, she threw Finn's shirt carelessly down on Allie's desk.

"Send that to the dry cleaners. He looks like he's about to cry without his shirt and honestly, his man boobs are making me sick."

Santana smiled to herself as she walked away. There was _no way_ she was losing this account now.

* * *

Exhausted, Finn sank down onto his couch. After the day he had, he just wanted to relax on the couch with a beer, take a nap and watch any sports game he could find on TV. Santana taking his shirt had caused him more problems, since he couldn't exactly meet with clients in a tank top and dress pants. Allie's scheduling mistake combined with his missing shirt had backed up his entire day, much to the annoyance of Will, who had proceeded to lecture him about professionalism.

Taking one of stuffed animals that resided on the couch, he stretched out and propped the stuffed animal under his head. He closed his eyes ready to begin his nap.

Just as he was about to fall asleep, he heard the door open.

"Finny! Where are you?"

"Rachel? How did you get in?" Finn sat up on the couch just in time to see Rachel and Vlad stroll in.

"I had your Super make me a key," Rachel replied as she put Vlad down on the floor. Her other hand had been holding what appeared to be a castle shaped dog house with a dog bed inside of it. Placing it on the floor next to the TV, she pointed to it asking, "What do you think? It's called a dog den. Isn't it adorable? Now Vlad can go in there and have privacy when he sleeps."

"It's great." Finn was too tired to even wonder where she got something like that. He watched as Rachel tried to get Vlad to go in the castle.

Vlad apparently had other ideas since he jumped up on Finn's lap, circling and making himself comfortable before settling down and closing his eyes to nap. Finn watched him, longing to do the same.

Rachel settled down behind Finn, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and resting her chin there. "You look tired. Rough day?" She began massaging Finn's shoulders.

"You have no idea." Finn closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of Rachel's massage.

"Want to tell me about it?" Rachel asked, moving her hands to massage his back muscles.

"You sure you want to hear it?" Man, she gave an amazing massage. He could feel the tension of his day leaving his body.

"Of course I do." Rachel stopped her massage and guided Finn's head down so that his head was resting in her lap. Stroking his hair off his forehead, she looked down. "Start at the beginning."

She listened intently as Finn described his nightmarish day of back to back meetings and scheduling mistakes, while Rachel stroked his hair. Her ministrations were lulling him into sleep, much like Vlad, who was now snoring away on his lap.

Rachel let him sleep for a few minutes, just staring at how adorable he looked while sleeping, almost afraid to wake him up.

She was spared from having to wake him since Vlad awoke looking for a more comfortable spot, deciding to try Finn's stomach. The pressure of the little dog settling on his stomach woke Finn.

"Hey baby," he sleepily said.

"I'm so glad you're awake. I have great news!" Rachel exclaimed, continuing to stroke his hair.

"Yeah, baby?" Finn could feel his eyes closing again.

"Well you know how I work at _Maquillage?_ Everyone at the magazine is always throwing these_ amazing_ parties and tonight is no exception. The great news is that I get to bring a guest and guess who I want to bring?" She looked down at Finn expectantly. "So what do you think?"

Finn hesitated. "I don't know. I'm exhausted. I really just wanted to lie on the couch." He looked up at her hopefully. "You could join me and Vlad."

"Finn, Brittany throws _incredible_ parties. It's going to be the party of the year tonight. Anybody who's anybody from work is going to be there. We _have_ to go; it's going to be so exciting." She turned her big brown eyes loose on him.

Finn knew a lost cause when he saw it. Sighing, he simply asked, "What time is the party?"

"Oh, Finny! I'm so excited!" Leaning down, she met Finn halfway for a kiss on his lips. The sudden movement of Finn raising his body slightly to meet hers startled Vlad, who jumped up and made his way up Finn's chest. Vlad stood on his legs and began licking Finn's face, joining Rachel, who was now kissing Finn repeatedly on his lips.

"See? Vlad's happy you're going too!" Rachel said, laughing between kisses.

If only Vlad could go in his place.

* * *

Finn's cell phone rang as they were sitting in a cab on the way to the party. Glancing at the ID screen, he smiled when he saw that it was his mother.

"Hey Mom." Next to him, he saw Rachel smiling. He smiled back, waiting to hear his mom's voice on the other end of the line.

"Hi Honey! I haven't heard from you in a while, so I thought I'd check in. Is Rachel there? I need to speak to her." His mother's voice had that usual cheery quality.

"Yeah, she's right here, I'll put her on." Handing the phone to Rachel, he sat back.

Hold on.

His mom had specifically asked for _Rachel._ By name. How did she know her? He'd never gotten the chance to call his mom after she saw them on TV at the Mets game. He listened to Rachel's end of the conversation.

"Hey Carole!...We _just _got in the cab. Poor baby was exhausted…Oh, really? That's so funny!...Don't worry, I have your list…Alright, you go make sure Burt takes his medicine…ok, I will… Don't forget to DVR _Say Yes to the Dress_ for me… Call me tomorrow! Bye!"

Ending the call, she handed the cell phone back to Finn.

"So, uh, you and my mom are friends?"

"Well I called her today to tell her about the party and we got to talking." Rachel caressed his cheek. "You're not mad that I talked to your mom are you?"

"No, I'm just surprised." Leaning into Rachel's hand, he looked into her eyes. "So what kind of party is this?"

Rachel glanced out the window. "Ooo we're here!" She squealed excitedly. Quickly, she paid the cabbie and dragged Finn into the building.

Rachel led the way to the 3rd floor. Finn was surprised. He'd expected the party to be on the roof or something. He didn't even hear any music playing.

Reaching Apt. 3F, Rachel opened the door, leading Finn in by the hand.

Nothing could have prepared Finn for what he saw when he walked through the door.

_Nothing._

* * *

Finn sat miserably on the couch, sandwiched between Brittany's Grandma Peggy and Rachel, holding a plate with a cucumber sandwich in one hand and some kind of drink called a "Pink Lady" in the other. Rachel was happily talking with Mercedes on her other side.

This _had_ to be a joke.

Looking around him in disbelief, he realized that it was unfortunately true. Scattered all over the room were various plastic bowls, utensils and plates of different sizes

Rachel had dragged him to a Tupperware Party.

* * *

"Alright, let's get started! Welcome to the _'Girls Night In'_ Tupperware Party! Tonight, we're going to look at a wonderful array of Tupperware designed to make Girls Night even more fun! I thought we'd start the sales pitch with a game so we're going to play the Lingerie Game! Brittany will pull a Nightie out of the bag here, and that person will win a piece of Tupperware! Try and guess whose lingerie it is!" The Saleswoman, whose name was Marie, held up a bag. "Has everyone put in their lingerie?"

Finn sat up. Well this could be interesting. He'd get to see what kind of lingerie Rachel wore.

Brittany stood up and reached into the bag. Finn watched, silently praying that Brittany would pull out Rachel's lingerie.

She didn't. What she did pull out was a pair of Homer Simpson boxers.

A very familiar looking pair of Homer Simpson boxers.

_His_ Homer Simpson boxers.

Finn stared in horror. How the _hell_ did those get in there? He looked at Rachel. She grabbed his arm, beaming at him. "Finny, those are yours! You won!"

Marie seemed surprised, but she collected herself and said, "She's right! Congratulations! You get a free piece of Tupperware!" Handing Finn a serving bowl, she smiled at him.

"Oh, Finn isn't that fabulous? I can't wait till your mom finds out you won! Oh, here, I have a list of things she wants you to order for her." Handing Finn a list, she turned back to Mercedes, ready to resume her conversation.

This was wrong on _so_ many levels.

Instead of _him_ seeing what kind of lingerie _Rachel_ wore, everyone in the room, including Rachel's best friend, now knew that he had Homer Simpson boxers. Plus, he was going to have to order all the stuff on the list for his mom and he didn't even know what half of it was.

The fact that he was the only man at a Tupperware party was just the icing on the cake.

"Finny, is that your name?" Marie asked, smiling at him again.

"It's Finn actually," he replied, wondering why Marie was asking.

"Well Finn, since your undergarments were just picked, you get to pick next," Marie told him, bringing the bag over to him.

Reaching into the bag, he once again prayed that Rachel's lingerie would be picked.

It wasn't.

Finn looked down at the lingerie in his hand, realizing that he was holding a pair of large granny panties in his hand.

Grandma Peggy looked at him. "Oh you naughty boy! Those are mine!"

His night had just officially hit rock bottom.

* * *

As soon as Finn headed to the bathroom, Mercedes turned to Rachel and dragged her to a corner of the room, barely able to contain her laughter. "Girl, I cannot believe you brought him here! This has to be pure torture for him. And you entered his underwear! How did you even get them? Too bad Tina couldn't be here to see this."

Rachel blushed at the mention of his underwear. She'd been trying _very_ hard not to picture Finn in his boxers.

"It's torture for _me_. I had no intention of coming to this party, but Emma was insisting I do something horrendous. She even gave me some wedding album she'd made an ex boyfriend and wanted me to make one for me and Finn! As for the boxers, I rummaged through his drawers while he was in the bathroom, it's pure coincidence that he won," Rachel replied, keeping an ear out of the flush of the toilet.

"Damn girl, you play dirty," Mercedes commented, sipping her drink.

"But don't you think he'd look adorable in those boxers?" Rachel mused aloud; giving in to the mental images she'd been fighting ever since she took those boxers from his drawer.

"Rachel, why are you thinking about that?" Mercedes questioned.

Rachel bit her lip and didn't say anything.

"Whoa, hold on. Do you…_like _him?" Mercedes slowly asked.

Still biting her lip, Rachel looked down at the floor. "Yes," she said in a barely audible whisper.

"What are you going to do?" Mercedes had been there for the Jesse fiasco, she knew how badly he'd hurt her. Ever since then, Rachel had been unwilling to put her heart out on the line. Finn must be a really special guy for Rachel to be willing to risk it.

"I don't know. I tried to talk to Emma about it this morning, but she ignored me and insisted I do the article the way she wants. You have no idea how much I hate this!" Rachel was on the verge of tears.

Mercedes hugged Rachel tight. "Shh. We'll figure something out. How long have you felt like this?"

Rachel regained control of herself and then spilled out the whole story, including the whole Allie/Santana aspect. It felt so good to unburden herself, maybe Mercedes would be able to come up with a solution.

"Wait, slow down. Tell me again exactly what happened. There has to be a solution." Mercedes listened intently as Rachel once again explained everything.

Rachel could see Finn out of the corner of her eye, looking adorably awkward as he came out of the bathroom and looked around the room for Rachel. He attempted to come over to her, but was waylaid by Marie the Saleswoman asking for his help once again. She smiled as she watched Finn clumsily attempt to help Marie.

Mercedes followed Rachel's eyes to Finn, who saw Rachel looking and gave her a lopsided smile. She didn't have a solution to the dilemma, but judging from the look on Rachel's face as she watched Finn and his face as he smiled at Rachel, they'd need to find one.

_Fast._

* * *

Finn didn't think his night could get any worse, but it did. Marie kept using him to demonstrate the items or hold up the products, but at least she personally took charge of ordering the items on Finn's list, giving him a discount on many products.

To add insult to injury, Rachel had been holed up with Mercedes in the corner of the room for the better part of the night, apparently discussing some matter of life and death. When he'd tried to go over there, she'd told him to go mingle and enjoy himself.

Then there was the problem of Brittany's Grandma Peggy. Ever since he'd pulled her underwear out of the bag, she'd been checking him out. Finn was pretty sure she was drunk, because at one point, she'd pinched his ass and called him a "_Sexy Thing_" as he walked back from helping Marie yet again.

She and her friend Estelle cornered him on the couch, one on either side of him, constantly grabbing his arms while talking about the latest problems during Bingo down at the Senior Center.

Not to mention, they kept calling him Frankie.

If he had to suffer through this, why couldn't Rachel be sitting next to him? He'd tried to catch her eye several times in the hopes that she'd come over, but she was off in the corner, deep in conversation with Mercedes.

He tried to tune out Grandma Peggy and Estelle, focusing on watching Rachel talk with Mercedes. Sometimes she looked pensive, which was when she'd twist a lock of hair around her finger. Other times she'd be laughing at something Mercedes said, and Finn just stared, admiring the way her whole face lit up when she laughed.

She must have felt Finn staring at her, because she turned her gaze towards him and her face once again changed as she smiled at him.

He silently tried to convey a "_help me_" message to her. She seemed to understand, because she said something to Mercedes and began to walk towards him.

"Frankie, do you believe that Betty had the nerve to show up at Bingo yesterday after she brought a stale cake to sell at the Bingo Refreshment Stand last week?"

Finn turned to Grandma Peggy just as Rachel came over. "That's horrible, Peggy."

"I'm sorry to steal him away, but we really need to be going," Rachel told Grandma Peggy and Estelle.

"You the one that brought Frankie?" Estelle asked, hiccupping slightly.

"Uh, yes, _Frankie_ came with me," Rachel replied, smiling at the wrong name.

"Well you two are going to make it. I can tell," Estelle announced. Grandma Peggy nodded in agreement. "We both saw the way you two looked at each other all night."

At Estelle's comment, both Finn and Rachel avoided looking at each other, so neither noticed the other turn a shade of bright red.

Squeezing Finn's face until his lips puckered, Grandma Peggy looked at Rachel. "Remember this; if you don't treat Frankie right and we hear about it, you're going to have to answer to us. We've each buried a husband; we can make it look like an accident."

"Yes, well, I, uh, I'll keep that in mind. Thank You. Come on, _Frankie_." Grabbing his hand, Rachel fairly pulled him off the couch in her attempt to get away from Finn's protectors.

Stumbling out the door, Rachel could barely contain her laughter. "Care to explain, _Frankie?"_

Laughing, Finn shrugged before placing an arm around her shoulder. "I think you better start sleeping with one eye open. Who needs Mike and Artie for backup when you have Grandma Peggy and Estelle?"

Still laughing, Rachel slipped an arm around his waist.

His night suddenly just got a whole lot better.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews!**

**I kind of picture Grandma Peggy and Estelle as Grandma Yetta and Sylvia from _The Nanny_.**


	10. Backbends, Brawls, and a Beiste

_**Disclaimer: Glee is not mine.**_

* * *

**_Wait for the boy who pursues you, the one who will make an ordinary moment seem magical, the kind of boy who brings out the best in you and makes you want to be a better person. Wait for the boy who will be your best friend, the person who will drop everything to be with you at anytime of the day no matter what the circumstances. Wait for the boy who makes you smile like no other and when he smiles you know he needs you. Wait for the boy who wants to show you off to the world when you're wearing sweats and no makeup. Most of all wait for the boy who will put you at the center of his universe, because obviously he's at the center of yours._**

**_-Unknown_**

* * *

**_Wednesday_**

"What do you think buddy, should we call Mommy?" Finn looked at Vlad, who was perched on top of his desk. The little Chihuahua thumped his tail on the desk, which Finn took as an affirmative.

"Ah, so you _do_ think we should. Well, if you insist." Giving Vlad's head a rub and reaching for the phone, he quickly dialed Rachel's extension. He couldn't help the smile that formed when he heard Rachel pick up.

"Rachel Berry speaking."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I was looking for Bachel Rerry," Finn teased, thinking back to their first phone conversation.

"Finn! I can't believe you brought that up!" At her embarrassed tone, Finn's grin got bigger and he chuckled.

"Sorry Ray. Vlad and I were just sitting here at work and he wanted me to call you," Finn told her, wincing as Vlad jumped from the desk into his lap.

"He did, huh? And what does Vlad want?" Rachel's playful tone easily carried through the phone, sounding like music to Finn's ears.

"Well Vlad missed you last night, since you went from the party right to your apartment. He feels you should come over and hang out tonight."

"Oh really?" Hearing Rachel laugh, he continued the playful banter, scratching Vlad behind his ears.

"Yeah, he was so upset, he went into his castle and wouldn't come out until I went to bed, which was when he got into bed with me. He's a bed hog by the way." That part was actually true. Vlad really had climbed into bed with Finn and somehow managed to stretch out in the exact center of the bed, pushing Finn to the side.

"Well in that case, I better come over tonight. How's 6?"

"Vlad says better make it 5:30 because he wants to watch the Mets and needs to eat before the game starts." At the mention of his name, Vlad stood up on his hind legs, sniffing the phone before licking Finn's face and jumping back on to the desk.

"Alright. Tell Vlad I'll be there at 5:30. I've got to go; I need to speak to Emma about something."

"Bye, baby."

"Bye Finny, have a good day at work. Give Vlad a belly rub for me."

As he hung up the phone, Finn looked at Vlad, who had stretched out on his desk, head resting on his paws. Rubbing his head, he commented, "Man Vlad, you sure have a way with the ladies."

* * *

Still on a high from her Finn's call, Rachel marched into Emma's office determined to really talk to her about the article. After discussing the situation with Tina and Mercedes, this was the only solution they could come up with.

"Emma?" Determinedly, Rachel knocked on the door.

"Oh, Rachel, come in. I've been meaning to talk to you." Emma looked up, shuffling some papers on her desk.

"Emma, I can't write this article. I've gotten to know Finn, and I don't feel right about deceiving him like this." Rachel wrung her hands nervously, waiting to see what Emma said.

"Rachel. You _**are**_ going to write this article. I'm your boss and you are a professional. Don't let your feelings get in the way of your job." Emma paused, noticing a smudge on her computer screen. Immediately, she got out her cleaning supplies and pulled on her rubber gloves. She looked at Rachel before continuing, working on the smudge at the same time.

"I know it's hard, but if you pull this off, I'll be promoting you. Think about it." She looked at Rachel, as she pulled a small toothbrush out of her cleaning supplies box, ready to clean the keys of her keyboard. "Who knows, maybe he'll think it's funny."

Rachel stood there, looking more miserable with every word that came out of Emma's mouth. In a misguided attempt to help Rachel, Emma had a sudden inspiration.

"As a matter of fact, a friend of mine told me about something that I want you to do for the article." Emma expertly removed her cleaning gloves to pick up a pamphlet sitting on her desk. Holding it up by the corner, she passed it to Rachel.

Rachel examined the cover before looking up. "Is this for real?"

Emma, having returned to her keyboard scrubbing, looked up. "Not only is it for real, but you _will_ be there tonight. And remember, if you pull this article off, you'll be getting a promotion."

Rachel sighed.

She didn't _want_ a promotion. She wanted Finn.

* * *

Rachel took a deep breath before opening the door to Finn's apartment. Knocking lightly, she walked in. "Finn?"

Getting no response, she walked into the living room. She could see Vlad's rear sticking out of his castle dog house, but there was no sign of Finn.

"Finn?" she called louder.

She walked toward the bathroom, the sound of running water providing a clue to Finn's whereabouts. "Finn?"

"I'm in the shower! Be right out!"

Once she was back in the living room, Rachel walked over to the castle dog house. Vlad peeked his head out at the sound of footsteps and seeeing Rachel, he came out, tail wagging a hundred miles an hour. Rachel picked him up, greeting him with a big kiss on his head.

"Do I get one of those too?"

Rachel turned at Finn's voice, and her mouth instantly went dry. Finn, on his way to the bedroom to change, was standing in the doorway, clad only in a towel.

"I…I…" Rachel was temporarily unable to find her voice. Her eyes roamed over every part of his body, from his broad shoulders to his muscular legs, taking note of the few glistening drops of water still on his skin.

Unconsciously, she licked her lips several times.

"Uh, of course, Finny!" she eventually managed to squeak out before she walked over to him and gave him a quick kiss on his lips.

"Hmm. I'll take it, but I think Vlad got more action." He pulled his face into a pout.

Rachel laughed. "Well we can't have that can we?" Pulling Finn down, she gave him a tender kiss. "Better?"

"Much."

Remembering that he was practically naked, she turned him towards the bedroom. "Good. Go get changed."

Once Finn was in his bedroom changing, Rachel pulled a little outfit for Vlad out of her bag. Dressing him quickly, she sat on the couch to wait for Finn, while Vlad returned to his castle.

At the thought of where she had to do tonight, she wished she could crawl and hide into that castle too.

* * *

Finn changed into sweats and came back into the living room to find Rachel deep in thought with a frown marring her beautiful face.

Crossing the room swiftly, he sat next to her. "Ray? Is something wrong?"

She looked at him and he could see she was fighting back tears. "Rachel? What's the matter? Tell me."

Rachel didn't say anything; she just threw her arms around his neck, burying her face against him. Finn started rubbing soothing circles on her back, not saying anything but knowing instinctively that at this moment, Rachel just wanted to be held.

After a few minutes, he tried again. "Is it work? Is it whatever you talked to Emma about?" If the fact that Rachel gripped his neck harder when he asked this was any indication, he'd hit the nail on the head.

Rachel lifted her head from his neck, her eyes still threatening to spill over. A random tear escaped from her left eye and Finn reached out to wipe it away with his thumb.

Watching Finn wipe the tear from her eye, she spoke. "Yes."

"What's the problem?" He shifted until he was in a laying position, assuming Rachel would curl into his side. She surprised him by choosing to lie on top of him, laying her head on his shoulder, her face facing Vlad's castle. Automatically, he started playing with her hair; the coconut scent of her shampoo invading his nostrils.

"It's my boss. She had an idea for an article and she wants me to write it. I've been having trouble with it and I went to discuss it with her today." Still not looking at him, she spoke in a low voice, her eyes focused on Vlad's castle.

"So what did she say?" Finn asked, continuing to play with her hair.

"She told me that I'm a professional and that I don't have a choice. I _have_ to write the article. If I do it well, I'll get a promotion." Picking up her head, she looked at Finn. "What would do if you were being forced to do something your boss told you to do, but you _really _didn't want to? What if it costs you something else?"

As she waited for his answer, she propped her elbows on his shoulders, tangling her fingers in the hair at the back of his neck and staring at his face.

He locked eyes with her before responding. "Rachel, nobody can force you to do something you don't want to do. Even if Emma is forcing you to write this article, you can still put your own Rachel Berry spin on it. Find a way to make it your own and Emma will be floored."

Still maintaining eye contact, Rachel asked in a small voice, "You really think I can do it?"

Finn smiled. "I know you can."

Rachel looked thoughtful. "You're right." A small smile crept onto her face as she climbed off of Finn.

She offered a hand to help Finn up, surprised when he pulled her back down on top of him. "_Finn!"_ she cried laughing.

"Feel better?" he whispered in her ear. Feeling her nod against his chest, he kissed the top of her head.

They stayed like that for a few minutes until Rachel once again stood up. For the first time, Finn noticed that she was dress in yoga pants and a zipped up hoodie. His eyes roamed her long shapely legs, admiring the way they were showcased by the pants. "Did you just come from working out?"

Biting her lip, Rachel got ready to introduce Emma's idea. "Actually, I thought it would be fun if we worked out together. Just for a little bit, then we can watch the Mets."

Finn stood up, enveloping Rachel in a hug. "Sounds good, but Vlad's going to be lonely again."

"Oh, don't worry about that. Vlad's coming with us. Vladdie! Come here Baby Dog!" Rachel called, snapping her fingers.

Finn couldn't help laughing when he saw Vlad come out of his castle decked out in a doggie velour track suit. "He looks like Paulie Walnuts!"

Smiling at the look on Finn's face, Rachel picked up Vlad and started walking towards the door, calling out over her shoulder. "Come on, Finny. We can't be late. Can you grab my bag and Vlad's leash?"

Grabbing the bag and leash, he hurried after her, admiring the view from behind.

* * *

When Rachel said Vlad was coming, Finn assumed she meant that Vlad would stay in his carrier while he and Rachel worked out.

He should have known better.

They'd arrived at the gym, only to be directed upstairs to an empty classroom. After a few minutes, other dogs and their owners started filing in. A large lady about the size of Finn came in and settled down behind Rachel, accompanied by a St. Bernard.

"Watch Vlad. That St. Bernard looks like he could crush him with one step," Rachel murmured to Finn, looking down at Vlad as he sat contentedly on Finn's stretched out legs.

Finn glanced at the woman, who not only looked like she could kick his ass, but could easily play linebacker for the New York Jets. He protectively put his hands on Vlad.

"Ok class it looks like everyone is here! Let's get started!" The instructor, Andrea, had everyone form a circle. "Wecome to Doga! For those of you who don't know, Doga is the art of sharing your yoga practices with your pet. I thought it would be good for everyone to introduce themselves and their furry friend before we get started. Why don't we start here?" she asked pointing to someone on the other side of the room.

"Doga? Is this for real?" Finn whispered to Rachel. "I've never done any yoga."

"I know, it's a new program. I heard it's really great. It's ok if you've never done yoga before. Actually, it'll help you be more flexible for softball," Rachel whispered back. She could hear a loud "_shhhhh_" coming from the direction of the St. Bernard and its owner.

The introductions continued, eventually making its way around the circle to the St. Bernard. Finn stared at the woman as she introduced herself in an incredibly deep voice, almost like a man. "I'm Shannon Beiste and this here is Marv," she said, indicating the St. Bernard.

"Let's welcome Shannon and Marv! And finally, who do we have here?" Smiling, Andrea turned to Finn, Rachel and Vlad.

"Hi everyone! I'm Rachel Berry, and this is my boyfriend Finn Hudson. And this little guy is our pride and joy, Vladimir I. Hudson, but we call him Vlad for short." Rachel picked up Vlad from Finn's lap, holding him up so everyone could see him, quickly putting him back on Finn's lap when she noticed Marv the St. Bernard growl and take a step towards Vlad.

"Welcome Finn, Rachel and Vlad! Ok, let's get started. I'd like you to begin by just sitting and starting to breathe, and let your pet find a comfortable seat on you or near you, just like Finn and Vlad are doing." She pointed to them, showing the class how Vlad was once again sitting up on Finn's outstretched legs.

"Once you've found a comfortable position, I'd like you to start to connect to each other. Try to get your breathing in sync. If you need to, you can rest your hands on your dog, but sit up straight and relax. We're going to do this for 2 minutes. I know it can be hard to be that still, but really try to connect with your dog."

Finn was bored already. His dog was so awesome, they'd already mastered the first move without even trying. He turned to look at Rachel, who was sitting next to him, doing some simple stretching exercises, her eyes closed in concentration.

Smiling at how cute she looked, his eyes roamed over the rest of the class. Some of the dogs were small enough that they were sitting on their owner's laps, like Vlad. Others were laying on floor in front of their owners. Marv the St. Bernard was sitting at attention next to his owner, drool coming out of the corner of his mouth.

"Ok everyone! I know we have pets of all sizes in here, but remember, this is about you and your dog. Adjust the exercise to fit your dog. Let's move on to the next exercise. I'd like you to get into a seated position with your feet touching. Put your dog in the open area between your legs. Begin massaging your dog, stretching his legs gently." Modeling what to do with her own dog, Andrea began walking around the room, assisting people.

Finn tried to hand Vlad to Rachel, assuming that since she had just been stretching, she'd want to do the exercises with Vlad.

"Oh no, Finny, you do it. You and Vlad need male bonding time." Getting into the same position as everyone else, minus the dog, Rachel bent her head until it was almost touching her feet.

Finn, forgetting about the position and the fact that he was supposed to be massaging Vlad, simply watched Rachel, marveling at how _flexible_ she was.

The thought crossed his mind that he'd _really_ like to find out just how flexible she was.

"Need some help?" Finn was brought out of his musings to see Andrea bending down next to him, petting Vlad.

"Oh, uh, yeah. Help. I need help." Embarrassed at having been caught staring and thinking dirty things, he stammered out his response.

"Well that's what I'm here for." Moving Finn's legs into the correct position, she placed Vlad in between his legs, showing Finn how to massage the little dog. Vlad closed his eyes in contentment. Rachel had stopped her own yoga exercise to watch Finn and Andrea, a strange expression on her face.

Andrea stood up and moved on, beginning to announce the next pose.

"I supposed you enjoyed that?" Rachel whispered to Finn.

"Vlad certainly did," he whispered back. "Did you see his eyes close immediately?"

"I'm not asking about him, I'm asking about you," she whispered, slightly louder, earning a glare, a "_Shhh_" and a growl from Shannon Beiste and Marv.

"What are you talking about?" Finn asked, his attention focused on Andrea, who was now lying on her back, one knee bent, the other leg straight up in the air pointing towards her face, with her little dog attached to her ankle and her hands supporting him on either side.

Lying on his back, he mimicked Andrea, holding Vlad in place with his own hands before turning to look at Rachel. "Hey check out Vlad! He's a flying Chihuahua!"

"Can't hear!"

Finn turned his head at the interruption to see Shannon Beiste once again glaring in their direction, punctuated by Marv giving a low growl for Vlad's benefit. Vlad, still perched high in the air on Finn's leg, let out a yip in return.

Rachel, letting whatever was bothering her drop for now, threw her own glare in the direction of Shannon Beiste and Marv. Watching Andrea, who was now explaining the next pose, she looked at Finn and said, "Why don't you let me do this one Finn? I do this one in my own yoga class."

Standing up, Rachel removed her hoodie, revealing her yoga top. Expertly, she went into a back bend, her toned stomach exposed. Finn sat there, staring, mesmerized by her flexibility once again.

"Need some more help?"

Embarrassed at being caught staring once again, Finn managed to smile at Andrea and get out, "Uh. Vlad. Help. Yeah." He could feel the blush creeping all the way to his ears.

"Well Finn, you have it easy for this one. Rachel's doing all the work. All you need to do is place Vlad on her stomach while she's in a backbend and make sure he doesn't fall off." Offering a hand, she helped Finn and Vlad up. Finn placed Vlad on Rachel's stomach, placing his hands nearby. Vlad must have felt tough being that high in the air, because he sent out another yip in Marv's direction.

Smiling at Finn, Andrea placed a hand on his arm. "You're both doing fantastic."

"Thanks, but I'm not really doing anything." Finn smiled back as Andrea walked over to Marv.

"Finn can you take Vlad off me please?" Finn looked down at Rachel, wondering how on earth she was able to stay in that backbend for so long.

"Sure Ray." Scooping Vlad up, he sat back down as Rachel collapsed to the floor.

"Ok, seriously, what was that?" she whispered, her voice getting slightly louder with each word.

"What was what?" Finn asked, playing with Vlad, the little Chihuahua trying to nip his hands each time Finn touched one of his paws.

"The hand on your arm, the helping you up?" Rachel asked, her voice again getting louder.

"What? That's just Andrea being nice." Finn stopped playing with Vlad and looked at Rachel, who had a look of disgust on her face.

"Still can't hear!" The words again came floating from behind Rachel, along with another growl.

Rachel sat up on her knees. "No, that's her_ flirting_ with you. And what's more, you're flirting back! You are _hitting_ on Vlad's Doga Instructor!" she accused, her tone getting slightly hysterical. "How can you do that to Vlad? You _know_ he needs this time to relax!"

"Can't hear _and_ now can't see! Getting mad!"

Rachel turned towards Shannon and Marv, who continued to growl at Rachel. "Seriously, what is your problem? Maybe I am being loud, but I'm having a crisis here, so both of you better shut up before my boyfriend comes back there and gives you a real reason to complain!"

"Hey man, next time have her take her pills for bitchiness _before_ she comes to class," Shannon directed at Finn.

"What!" Rachel exclaimed angrily, turning to Finn expectantly.

Finn, who had been watching this exchange with dread from the moment Rachel volunteered him to give Shannon and Marv a reason to complain, now stepped into the ring.

"I think you owe Rachel an apology. There's no reason to talk like that."

"You. Outside now." Pointing to Finn, Shannon grabbed Marv and stood up. It was only when Shannon stood up that Rachel fully realized what she'd gotten Finn into. Horrified, she saw that the woman was easily as tall as Finn, possibly even taller, with a strong, muscular build, more like a man than a woman.

Sighing, Finn handed Vlad to Rachel and stood up, following Marv and Shannon out the door. Rachel quickly jumped up and grabbed their stuff, running to catch up with them.

"Finn! Don't bother, come back to the class!" Rachel begged, grabbing on to his hand and attempting to pull him back inside.

"Rachel, relax. I'm not going to get into a fight with a girl. She just owes you an apology," Finn promised, turning to look at Rachel. He started to turn back to face Shannon and Marv again.

"Like I was saying, you owe Ra-" That was as far as he got before Shannon's fist connected with his eye, knocking him to the ground.

"Finn!" Rachel screeched dropping to the ground next to him, placing Vlad on the ground.

"Now I'm going to go back inside and finish my Doga to relax. Don't mess with me." Shannon walked past Finn and Rachel without another glance, Marv in tow. As Marv passed Vlad, he gave one final growl. Vlad nipped at Marv's passing feet before running to the safety of Finn's stomach. From his perch on top of Finn's stomach, Vlad continued yipping until Marv was out of sight.

"Finn! Are you ok? Look at me and tell me you're not dead!" Rachel grabbed his head, holding it to her chest. Vlad jumped off Finn's stomach, turning in circles before placing two paws on his leg.

Finn himself sat up, resting his head where Rachel had placed it on her chest. He didn't know if it was intentional that she'd pressed his head against her breasts, but he certainly wasn't going to complain. Rubbing the side of his face against her breasts, he murmured, "I'm fine now, Ray."

"Let me see." Not realizing what Finn was doing, Rachel tried to lift his head. She could see a nice size bruise already forming around his eye and she softly placed her lips against it, trying to ease his pain.

And her guilt.

"Come on Mike Tyson. Let's get you and Sugar Ray Leonard home and get some ice on that eye," she said, helping him stand up, while he scooped up Vlad.

Grabbing Rachel's hand with his free hand, he playfully asked, "Doga always this exciting?"

Laughing, Rachel started walking out of the gym. "It was certainly an experience."

* * *

Once they were back in Finn's apartment, Rachel immediately started fussing over Finn and Vlad. Leading Finn to the couch, she forced Finn to sit on the couch, turned on the pregame show for him, and stripped Vlad of his velour track suit, all within a minute. She caressed Finn's face as she looked at his eye, which was now swelling. "Hmm. I better get you some ice to keep on this, it's starting to swell."

She disappeared into the kitchen, quickly returning with a bag of frozen peas, two beers, a bag of popcorn, and a bowl of dog food for Vlad. Placing the dog food on the floor near Vlad's castle and the popcorn and one beer on the table, she settled down next to Finn.

She handed him the other beer, simultaneously applying the bag of frozen peas to his eye. Finn hissed at the contact, but Rachel continued to hold the bag there. "How are you feeling? Is the bag of peas helping? Maybe we should take you to the hospital."

"Like I got punched in the face. Yes. No." Finn answered the questions in order, laughing when Rachel gave him smack on the shoulder. He smiled at Rachel, shifting his body until his head was in her lap, her hand holding the bag of peas in place. "Keep taking care of me like this and I'll be fine."

Rachel smiled down at him, adjusting the bag of peas to find a cold spot. "I better take care of my men. Between you getting punched in the face and Vlad taking on that St. Bernard, it looks like I'll be busy." She laughed, watching Vlad as he jumped up onto the couch, walking up Finn's body to settle on his stomach.

"So does the fact that we got into a fight count as mine and Vlad's male bonding time?" Finn asked playfully. "Did you see him barking at Marv?"

"Yeah, from the safety of your stomach. He's a real tough guy." She rolled her eyes. "Vlad seems to really like being on your stomach," she commented.

Finn picked up his head slightly to see Vlad curled in a ball on his stomach, eyes tightly closed. He shrugged. "It's comfortable, I guess."

The three of them remained in that position for most of the game, until Rachel had to get up for a new ice pack for Finn's eye. This time, Finn laid back on the couch, one arm holding the ice pack while Rachel snuggled into him and Vlad laid on the couch, resting his head on Finn's leg.

Being like this, with his arm around Rachel and Vlad on his leg, Finn decided that being punched in the face really sucks, but the being taken care of part is _awesome._

* * *

**_A/N: Happy President's Day to my American Readers! I had to stick Coach Beiste in there, because I think she's great. Vlad's Castle dog house is a real thing and Doga is also a real yoga class. I'm not sure how a St. Bernard could do the class though. Although if anyone could lift a St. Bernard with their leg, it would be Coach Beiste._**


	11. Asian Interference

**_Disclaimer: As usual, Glee does not belong to me._**

* * *

**_You never see the hard days in a photo album... but those are the ones that get you from one happy snapshot to the next._**

**_-Just Married_**

* * *

**_Thursday_**

"Dude, we still on for tonight?" Mike poked his head in Finn's office, followed by Artie. "Or you got another ass kicking from a girl scheduled for tonight?"

"Leave Finny-Bear alone. Yoga is a rough group. I stopped going to yoga because I kept getting beat up by the class," Artie teased, rolling into the office.

"Oh hey, Vlad's here!" he exclaimed as he noticed Vlad snoring away in the IN box on Finn's desk. Whistling softly, he got the little puppy's attention. Vlad immediately jumped out of the IN box and onto Artie's lap, ready to continue his nap.

"Both of you shut up. It's not funny." Finn probed the bruised area around his eye gingerly. "That woman could have easily played center for the New York Jets."

"How come Vlad's here again?" Artie asked, as he stroked Vlad's fur. The Chihuahua, eyes still closed, stretched contentedly, shifting so Artie could hit the perfect spot.

"I can't leave him at home. He, uh, … destroys stuff," Finn stammered out.

He couldn't tell Artie and Mike the real reason he had to bring Vlad with him, which was that Vlad kept humping the stuffed animals Rachel had decorated the apartment with, _especially_ that massive Finny-Bear. He'd managed to hide from Vlad all the smaller stuffed animals in the closet, but that damn bear was just too big. Finn had awoken this morning to find Vlad going to town on the bear's leg.

At least one of them was getting some action.

"So, man, what time?"

_Shit. _Mike's original question resurfaced in Finn's mind.

Tonight was the poker game.

At his apartment.

Where the _hell_ was he going to put that bear?

"Uh right, poker tonight at 8?" Finn glanced at the clock. It was 3:30.

He had exactly four and a half hours to de-girlify his apartment.

* * *

His destination Allie's desk, Artie rolled out of Finn's office, Vlad coming along for the ride. The Chihuahua sat straight up on his lap, watching the sights of the office as Artie wheeled along.

Reaching Allie's desk, he was surprised to see Santana deep in conversation with Allie. Since when did Santana talk to mere secretaries? She usually refused to talk to anyone less than an Advertising Executive, considering anything less beneath her.

"Allie, here's those papers you needed from Finn," Artie announced, interrupting their conversation.

"Thanks Artie. Oh, what do we have here?" Allie squealed, noticing Vlad.

"New girlfriend?" Santana sneered, stepping closer. Artie noticed the hair on Vlad's back stiffen and he let out a low growl.

"Funny you should say girlfriend. This is Vlad, Finn and _Rachel's_ dog. You know, Rachel, his_ girlfriend_?"

Allie and Santana exchanged a glance.

"Like Finnegan really got a girl to agree to date him, let alone buy a dog together." Santana took another step towards Artie, earning a low growl from Vlad, whose hair had now begun to rise along his back.

Allie attempted to pet Vlad, who promptly stood up on Artie's legs and began growling loudly. Backing away, she asked, "What's the matter with him?"

As soon as Allie backed away, Vlad sat back down.

Santana rolled her eyes. "Please. You just need to show the dog who's boss. That's why you're still stuck working for that loser Finn, you don't take charge. Watch and learn."

She stepped confidently towards Vlad, who immediately stood up on Artie's lap again. As she got closer, Vlad once again started growling, the hair raising higher on his back. When Santana took another step Vlad began showing his teeth and growling.

"Uh, Santana, I don't think you should come any closer," Artie warned, looking nervously down at Vlad, who continued to show his teeth to Santana.

"You think I'm scared of a little dog? What's he going to do, lick me to death?" Santana took another step, holding her hand out for Vlad to sniff.

Unfortunately for her, rather than sniff the offered hand, Vlad chose to snap at it.

Santana quickly withdrew her hand. "Right. Uh, well unlike you and Finnegan, I don't have time to play with dogs. I actually have work to do." Beginning to walk away, she called over her shoulder to Allie. "Remember what I said."

As Artie wheeled away, he leaned down to Vlad, who had resumed his happy dog stance on Artie's lap. "Good boy," he whispered. "Since you have such excellent taste in women, what do you say we get something to share from the vending maching?"

Receiving a lick on the face and a tail wag, Artie laughed and headed in the direction of the vending machine.

* * *

"Maybe you should ask his friends about his dating life. Why don't we all go out tonight?" Mercedes asked, taking a bite of her salad.

"Can't. It's Guy's Night. He has his poker night at his place. They do it every week." Rachel replied, unscrewing the cap of her water, more than a little bummed that she wouldn't be seeing Finn tonight.

Her phone beeped indicating a new message. Opening the message, she immediately felt a warm glow spread throughout her body. Finn had sent her a picture of himself and Vlad. Judging from the angle of the picture, he'd tried to take it himself, while holding Vlad at the same time. Vlad must have turned and licked his face just as he'd taken the picture, because Finn had a surprised look on his face. Underneath the picture was the text, "Vlad's first Guy's Night."

It was beyond adorable.

She showed it to Mercedes and Tina. "Look at what he just sent me."

"Aww," Mercedes cooed. "You should print that and frame it!"

"Does he have any single friends?" Tina demanded.

"I only know Mike and Artie, who are lots of fun. I'm sure they'll be there tonight. Too bad you can't meet them." Rachel looked at the picture again. Quietly, she set the picture as her background before she put the phone away.

"Who says we can't?" Mercedes questioned, a weird look on her face.

"It's Guy's Night, Mercedes. Unless you've got something to tell us, you're not welcome at Guy's Night," Tina said.

"Well, why don't we have a Girl's Night…at his place?" Mercedes grinned as understanding dawned on Rachel's face. "Think about it. We'll go to his place, torture him a little so Emma is happy, and then we can pump his friends for information."

"Not to mention possibly find cute single guys for us," Tina added mischievously.

Rachel looked thoughtful. "It could work."

* * *

Finn cast a critical eye around the apartment, checking to make sure that every last girly thing in the living room was out of sight.

There remained only the problem of that damn bear.

Finn had tried moving the bear to different spots in the apartment, which created a problem unto itself, as Vlad became upset at Finn each time the bear moved.

The first time Finn touched the bear, Vlad had come charging out of his castle, jumping onto the couch and yipping at Finn. When that failed to work, Vlad had taken a flying leap off the couch and attached himself to the bear's leg, causing Finn to drag Vlad along with the bear. Each time Finn attempted to move the bear, the same scene played out.

Deciding to shut Vlad in the bathroom so he could concentrate on the bear problem, he scooped up Vlad.

"Whoa, little dude, is that you?" Finn asked as he got a whiff of dog. "If you're going to try to score some action with that bear, you really need to smell good."

He walked into the bathroom and placed Vlad in the bathtub, while he looked for some shampoo in the "Vlad Vitals Box" Rachel had prepared for him.

"Bad news Buddy. Looks like Mommy wants you to smell like a girl, since she left you dog shampoo that smells like peaches. We'll have to talk to her about giving you a more manly smell."

He turned around to face the bathtub, expecting to see Vlad waiting for him. "Vlad?"

Finn moved closer to the tub, pushing aside the shower curtain. Vlad was at the far end of the tub, hidden from Finn's view by the shower curtain.

Finn smiled to himself.

He suddenly knew where he was going to store the bear.

* * *

"Alright guys; the game is Seven Card Stud," Finn announced as he dealt the cards. He was having a _good_ night. So far, he was up one hundred dollars.

Even better, the bear was currently hidden in the shower, hiding behind the shower curtain. His plan was working wonderfully, with the exception of one thing.

Vlad.

Looking spiffy from his bath, he had taken to patrolling the floor in front of the bathroom. Should any unfortunate soul even attempt to go near the bathroom, they were met with growls and yips at the door. Not even Artie's lap could tempt Vlad away from his bathroom patrol.

Finn glanced at Vlad, who was currently stationed in front of the bathroom door. Vlad was totally going blow his cover if he didn't do something.

Remembering that there were toys in the "Vlad Vitals Box", he left the table and went towards the bathroom. Vlad watched him suspiciously, growling. Faking left, Finn managed to get in the bathroom when Vlad fell for it. Rummaging through the box, he pulled out a rubber steak. Hoping to tempt Vlad away from the bathroom door, he waved the rubber steak at him making it squeak, while walking backwards down the hallway.

Vlad, transfixed by the squeaker, followed Finn all the way to the poker table. Sitting down at his seat, he tossed the rubber steak into Artie's lap. Vlad promptly jumped into Artie's lap, only to grab the steak and return to his post in front of the bathroom.

Damn.

Turning his attention back to the game, he took a swig of beer before glancing at his cards.

Another awesome hand. "This is _so_ my night," he muttered to himself.

"Why? Cause you made it this far without getting your ass kicked by a girl?" Artie teased, lighting his cigar.

"Funny Abrams. Shut up and bet."

The betting had just gotten around to Mike when they heard the door open.

"Finny-Bear! We're here!"

* * *

Finn froze, his beer halfway to his face. "Rachel? What are you doing here?"

Rachel put down her stuff and skipped over to the poker table, squeezing Finn from behind and giving him a sloppy kiss on the cheek. "I know it's Guy's Night, but I couldn't miss Vlad's first one, so just ignore us. We'll be over there," she announced, pointing towards the TV area.

"Us?" Finn asked stupidly. Turning around, he noticed Mercedes and another girl. Like Rachel, each had a bag slung over her shoulder, and was holding what looked like a tackle box in her hand. "Oh, hey Mercedes."

"Finny, you know Mercedes, but I want you to meet Tina. She's my other best friend," Rachel told him, pointing to Tina.

Finn stood up, holding his hand out to Tina. "Hey, I'm Finn." Figuring he should introduce his poker friends, he placed his hand on the small of Rachel's back. "Rachel, Mercedes, and Tina, this is Mike, Artie, Sam, and Nick. Guys this is Rachel and her friends Mercedes and Tina."

"We didn't mean to interrupt your little game. Let's go girls." Grabbing her stuff, Rachel started to lead the way. "Oh, Artie! A 5 and a 6! Go for the straight!" she said excitedly as she passed his wheelchair.

Four pairs of eyes turned accusingly towards Finn.

Not knowing what to do, Finn shrugged. "What? They're going to stay by the TV. Let's just play. You heard Rachel. We won't even know they're here."

Even he didn't believe the words coming out of his mouth.

* * *

The guys were just continuing to play when Rachel peeked her head around the corner. She attempted to get Finn's attention by waving her arms and miming something.

Finn, absorbed in his card game, didn't notice her until Artie jabbed him in the ribs. "Ray, did you need something?" he asked as he watched Mike and Sam up the ante.

Rachel walked fully into the room. Standing behind Mike, she looked at Finn. "Finny, I can't get the DVD player to work. Can you put the movie on for us?"

"Sure baby." Taking his cards with him, Finn stood up. "Hold on one second guys."

Rachel clapped her hands. "Thanks Finny!" Turning to go back to the girls, she looked down at Mike. "Oh! Artie, Mike has the 7 you need! Maybe you can trade Mike for that Ace you have!"

Hustling Rachel out of the room before either Mike or Artie could comment, Finn quickly set up the movie for the girls, earning a kiss from Rachel as payment.

"All right guys, let's play. Artie? You in?" he asked, walking back to the table and sitting down, as the opening music of _Titanic_ floated in behind him.

"She told you my cards!"

"Okay, so you're out. Sam? How many cards do you want?"

"Two." Handing Sam two cards, he looked at Mike, who was staring into the TV area.

"Mike? How many cards you want? Mike?" Finn asked, snapping his fingers in Mike's direction, attempting to get his attention.

"Dude, she's _hot_," Mike stated, still staring into the TV area.

"She really is," Finn agreed, sneaking a glance at Rachel, who was sitting up on her knees on the couch, combing Tina's hair. "Hey! Why are you looking at Rachel like that?" He frowned.

"Not Rachel. Her friend Tina. Is she single?" Mike asked, still staring at Tina.

"I have no idea. Can we keep playing?" Finn said, annoyed that the smell of nail polish was starting to permeate the air.

Guys Night was _not_ supposed to smell like nail polish.

"Can you ask Rachel?" Mike countered, finally tearing his eyes away from Tina.

"What, like right now?"

"Come on, Dude. I've totally helped you out with girls. Remember Claire?" Mike pleaded.

"You mean that psycho cousin of yours? The one who kept calling me in the middle of the night crying?" Finn asked, wincing at the memory. Looking at Mike's face, he sighed. "Fine. I'll ask her."

Standing up, he walked into the TV area, which had become Girl Central. _Titanic_ was playing on the TV, while the table was scattered with magazines, curling irons, and other girl products Finn couldn't identify. What he had assumed were tackle boxes were now opened on the floor, revealing nail polish and make-up. Rachel was still combing Tina's hair, only now she was using some kind of tool on it, while Mercedes was painting Tina's nails.

"Rachel? Can I talk to you?"

Rachel looked up, surprised. "Sure Finn. Were we bothering you? Is the TV too loud?"

"No, it's not that. Why don't you help me in the kitchen?"

_Smooth Hudson. Way to make it obvious._

Rachel followed Finn into the kitchen, holding a packet of popcorn. Placing the popcorn into the microwave, she turned to look at Finn. "What's the problem, Finny-Bear?"

"Is Tina single?" he blurted out, never the best at being subtle.

"Why do you want to know? Are you dumping me for Tina? Oh my God, you are. I can't believe this! You're dumping me for my best friend!" Rachel cried, her voice getting louder with each word, making it easy for the other occupants of the apartment to hear.

"No! Rachel! Look at me!" Finn grabbed Rachel by the shoulders, shaking her to calm her down. "I'm not asking for me. I'm asking for Mike," he said in a low voice. "He wanted me to ask you."

"Oh! Well in that case, yes, she's single," Rachel replied as the microwave beeped, indicating her popcorn was finished. Opening a top cabinet, she stood on her toes, trying to reach a bowl. "Finn, can you get me that bowl? I can't reach it."

Finn smiled at how adorable she looked trying to reach the bowl. Wordlessly, he reached over Rachel from behind and handed her the bowl, unable to resist placing a kiss on her neck at the same time. "Dwarf," he said into her neck as he placed a trail of kisses down to her shoulder.

Tilting her head to give him more room to work with, she smiled as she felt his hands wrap around her waist. "Whatever, BFG."

"Yo, Finn! We'd like to play sometime this year!" Mike's voice interrupted their moment.

Rachel felt Finn sigh against her skin. Reaching up to caress his face, she told him, "Go. The boys are waiting."

Giving his face one last caress, she grabbed her popcorn and walked out of the kitchen, throwing Finn one last smile.

Mike _so_ owed him.

* * *

Rachel walked back to Mercedes and Tina, a glazed look on her face, and a bowl of popcorn in her hand.

"What was that about? And why do you have that '_I just made out with a hot guy'_ look on your face?" Tina demanded.

"First of all, I was _not_ making out. Finn was just kissing my neck. Second of all, he wanted to ask me about _you._" Rachel blushed, still feeling Finn's lips on her neck.

"Me? Why?" Tina asked.

"His friend Mike wanted to know if you were single!" Rachel squealed. Tina and Mercedes joined her, and the three were soon jumping up and down excitedly, earning the attention of the poker table.

"Babe? You ok?" Finn called.

"Just fine Finny!" she called back. More quietly, the girls continued their squealing, discussing everything Mike, as they finished Tina's hair and nails and moved onto Mercedes.

* * *

The guys managed to play for a whole ten minutes before the next interruption came.

"Finn?" Rachel asked, doing a poor job of sneaking into the room and standing behind Finn.

"Yeah?"

"It's really smelly and smoky in here. Do you think you could stop smoking the cigars?" Rachel looked around the table. Every guy at the table had a lit cigar. Rachel began coughing to make her point.

"Rachel, we always smoke cigars when we play poker. It's tradition." Finn replied, looking at the guys to back him up.

Not one did, the bastards.

"_Please_, Finny? For me? I really hate the smell." Rachel turned her eyes loose on him, knowing he'd cave.

She was right. She could see him softening as he looked at her.

Sighing, he looked down at his cigar and snuffed it out, motioning to the other guys to do the same.

"Thanks, Baby Bear! I won't bother you again." Giving him a kiss, she happily went back to the girls.

* * *

Five minutes later she was back.

"Finny?"

"Yeah, Baby?"

"Can you do me a favor?"

"Sure, what do you want?" Finn asked distractedly, focusing on his cards.

"I can't say here."

Amused, Finn looked at her. "Why not? Just say it."

Rachel shook her head. "I can't."

"_Rachel._ Whatever it is, it can't be that bad. So tell," Finn commanded, starting to get exasperated.

Rachel took a deep breath. "Fine. I need you to go get a box of tampons."

Finn choked on the beer he had just drank. "Ex…excuse me?"

Rachel turned scarlet. "You heard me. I'd go, but don't know this neighborhood."

Finn looked around the table at the guys, each of whom was unable to look Finn in the eye. He knew they were silently thanking God that they weren't in his shoes right now.

"Didn't you just have your period?" he blurted out, remembering the tampon Mike had found in her purse.

"Finnegan! My Menstrual Cycle is _not_ a topic for the poker table!" Rachel exclaimed, shock showing on her face. "Now are you going to go or not?"

"Fine. I'll go." Finn threw his cards on the table in annoyance, ignoring the snickers from the guys.

"Thanks Finny-Bear! Make sure you get Playtex Gentle Glide, the ones in the blue box," she specified. "Oh, and make sure it says super absorbency."

Finn sighed, grabbing his wallet. Guy's Night was slowly going down the drain.

* * *

Thirty minutes and a box of tampons later, Finn opened the door to his apartment. "I'm back! Rachel, here's your stuff," he called, walking back into the living room. Glancing at the TV area, he saw that it was empty.

Things had changed in the time he was gone. Rachel, Mercedes and Tina were now installed around the poker table, cards in hand. Mike, Artie, and Sam were apparently trying to teach them the game, and Nick was nowhere to be seen.

"What's going on? Where's Nick?" Finn asked, walking over to Rachel and handing her the bag.

"Oh, Finny, it's so exciting! After you left, Mike asked us if we wanted to play! Your friend Nick said he had to leave though. I think he got mad when we said we didn't know how to play and Mike said he would teach us," Rachel informed him, taking the bag from Finn. Standing up, she told the group, "Don't start without me!"

Finn momentarily panicked when he saw her head for the bathroom, until he realized that Vlad had temporarily vacated his post in front of the door. Sighing in relief, he watched as Mike patiently explained the rules of the game to Tina.

"I'm back! Did you miss me?" Rachel asked as she parked herself in Finn's lap and gave him a sloppy kiss. She leaned over to whisper in his ear. "Good News. It was a false alarm. Guess you didn't need to go to the store after all."

Finn stared at her, not quite sure what to say. Rachel gave him another kiss before she looked around at the group. "Now, let's play!"

Artie dealt out the cards quickly. "Remember girls, organize your cards and see what you might need."

Rachel looked at her cards. "I need the Nine of Clubs. Who wants to trade for it? I have a Four of Hearts I don't need," she announced.

"Rachel! You're not suppose-" Finn began.

"I'll take the Four of Hearts, but I don't have the Nine of Clubs. Do you want any of my other cards?" Tina asked, fanning her cards out for Rachel to see.

"Tina, you can't trade cards like that. Remember I said that you have to keep your cards secret?" Mike asked, putting his hand over Tina's cards.

Tina giggled coquettishly. "I guess I forgot. Maybe you should explain the rules to me over on the couch, so I can really concentrate."

Mike didn't need to be asked twice. Grabbing Tina, he pulled her over to the couch.

Rachel watched them go smiling. She placed her arm around Finn's neck as she looked at him. "Just think Finny! We'll be able to go out on double dates soon!" Leaning her forehead against his, she quietly said, "Thank you for going to the store for me. I'm sorry Guy's Night has gone awry."

"It's okay, baby." Finn punctuated this statement with a gentle kiss that immediately turned into more, causing Artie to tell them to get a room.

Embarrassed, Rachel tore her lips away from Finn. She looked around the room, her eyes falling on Vlad's castle. She hadn't seen him all night. Assuming he was napping in the castle and wanting to show him to Mercedes, she got off Finn's lap and crossed the room to the castle, calling "Vlad! Come to Mommy!"

When Vlad didn't emerge from the castle, she bent down to look through the entrance, expecting to see Vlad curled up in a ball inside.

Not seeing him, she stood back up. Where was he? Figuring he was either asleep on Artie's lap or in Finn's bed, she started to walk towards the poker table.

"Baby Bear, where's Vlad? I haven't seen him all night. Artie, do you have him?"

"No, he's not on my lap. He's probably still guarding the bathroom," Artie replied as Rachel settled herself back on Finn's lap.

"Guarding the bathroom? What's he talking about, Finn?" Rachel asked confusedly.

"For some reason, Vlad doesn't want anyone going near the bathroom. He's been growling and yipping at anyone who goes near the bathroom," Artie answered for Finn, seeing as Finn was staying silent for reasons unknown.

"Really?"

To Finn's horror, Rachel slid off his lap and walked toward the bathroom. Vlad has resumed his guarding of the bathroom, the rubber steak by his side.

"Vladdie? What's going on, Baby Dog?" Rachel asked, as Vlad started yipping when she got closer. "Oh! Did you have a bath? You look _so_ handsome!" she squealed when she got close enough to him.

Finn looked about in desperation, looking for _anything_ that would distract Rachel from finding out why Vlad was guarding the door. Seeing the rubber steak on the floor, he called out to Rachel. "He likes the steak. Throw it into his castle."

If he was lucky, Rachel would throw it in the castle and Vlad would go in there to get it and remain in there.

He should have known better. He's never been lucky.

* * *

Rachel must have missed her calling as a detective, because watching her try to figure out what was up with Vlad was like watching that Law and Order show his mother loved so much. With growing apprehension, he watched Rachel.

She'd realized by now that Vlad didn't care if she backed up, only if she went forward. Vlad allowed her to go to the sink and the toilet, but the second she stepped towards the bathtub, he started yipping and running in circles. Testing her theory, she stepped away from the tub, and Vlad immediately relaxed. As soon as she stepped towards the tub again, he resumed barking.

"What's the matter Vlad? Why are you so upset with the bathtub?" Rachel asked.

She glanced back at Finn, who was still sitting in his seat at the poker table. "Did you wash him in the tub? Maybe he's afraid of it?"

"No, the sink," Finn answered without thinking. _Shit_. He should have said yes, then she'd drop her investigation.

"Hmm. Then I don't know." Rachel picked Vlad up, placing him in her lap as she sat on the edge of the bathtub. Vlad started squirming in her arms, determined to get into the tub. "Vlad? What do you want?"

Vlad stood up and walked off her lap, standing on the edge of the tub. Nosing the shower curtain aside, he continued walking along the edge of the tub, this time on the inside of the curtain.

Rachel watched the curtain moving, curious to know what Vlad was up to.

Finn watched Rachel from his seat reach for the curtain, waiting for the explosion.

"_**Vladimir Impaler Hudson**_! **_What do you think you're doing_**?"

And there it was.

* * *

"Finn! What is the meaning of this?" Rachel stalked out of the bathroom, Vlad in one hand, dragging the massive stuffed bear by the ear with her other hand.

She placed the squirming Vlad on the floor, who immediately began humping the bear's leg. "Well?" she asked, turning to Finn.

Mike and Tina, who had been absorbed in each other over on the couch, turned to see what the commotion was about, as did Mercedes, Artie, and Sam over at the poker table.

"What's going on Rachel?" Tina asked, looking from Rachel to Finn to Vlad.

"What's going on is that Finn is ashamed of me!" she cried dramatically.

"Wait, what?" Of all the things Finn expected to come out of Rachel's mouth at that moment, it certainly wasn't _that_.

"Don't make me say it again!" Rachel's eyes filled with tears. Turning to Tina, she continued her tale of woe. "You see this bear? I bought this bear for Finn as a symbol of our love and he hides it in the shower! I spent all day hugging bears to try and find one as cuddly as he was. Then I had all these shirts monogrammed that say "Finny-Bear" on them because I wasn't sure which shade of blue was his favorite. I thought it would be nice if Finny changed the shirt each day. And now look at the bear! He's been hidden in the shower, violated and he never even got to wear any of the other shirts!"

"Rachel! It's a damn _bear_!" Finn had had enough. His entire night had been ruined, and this was just the icing on the cake. "I put it in the shower because Vlad wouldn't stop humping it, along with all the other stuffed animals. I can't take this anymore. Why are you acting like this?"

"Like what, Finn?" Rachel implored, tears streaming down her cheeks. She watched as Sam silently snuck out the door.

"Like you escaped from an insane asylum! Where's the awesome girl I met last week? The one who secretly wants to be Canadian, loves British TV and is obsessed with quotes? The one who wants to be on the _New York Times_ Bestseller List?"

Rachel stayed silent, refusing to look at him.

Running his hands through his hair in frustration, he added "And I'm not ashamed of you. Why would you think that?"

Still refusing to look at him, she addressed Tina. "Will you please tell Finn that there are plenty of reasons why I think that? Starting with the fact that he freaked out when I called his mom?"

"I didn't freak out! You can talk to my mom all you want! I know my mom would love you! In fact, she'd love nothing more than to meet you in person. She's told me a million times since you talked to her the other day. You're just acting insane again!" Finn shouted, mad that Rachel wouldn't look at him.

Mike, sensing that Finn was on the verge of dumping Rachel (and therefore losing the account) and wanting to impress Tina at the same time, spoke for the first time since Rachel had come out of the bathroom.

"So why doesn't she?"

Both Finn and Rachel turned to look at Mike.

"So why doesn't she what?" Finn asked, not sure what Mike was getting at.

"Why doesn't she meet your mom?" Mike said slowly, looking at Tina to see what she thought about this idea.

Tina apparently thought it was a great idea, because she immediately said "Yeah! Go spend the weekend! It will be good for you to get away from the stress of the city and work, Rachel."

She spoke the last part meaningfully, knowing that Rachel would be thrilled to spend the whole weekend with Finn, without having to worry about doing things for the article.

Not to mention the fact that if Rachel was out on Long Island, she'd be free to spend all her time with Mike.

"Vlad can stay with me," Artie jumped in, knowing why Mike had suggested this. "Vlad! You want to stay with Uncle Artie?"

Vlad, who had finally finished humping the bear, jumped up on Artie's lap, licking his face before he curled up in a ball on his lap. "I think that's a yes," Artie said laughing.

"So it's all settled, then. Leave tomorrow morning and come back on Sunday," Mercedes decided, liking this plan. It would give Rachel quality time with Finn. She'd seen the way they watched each other all night at the Tupperware party. They really needed this.

Mercedes had been surprised when she'd heard Finn say those things about Rachel. Ever since Jesse had destroyed her heart, Rachel had never trusted a guy enough to let him in. Yet, Finn seemed to know everything about Rachel that Mercedes knew, plus more.

Mike, who had whipped out his phone while Mercedes and Artie were talking, now spoke into the phone. "Hey Mrs. Hummel! You're going to be home this weekend right? What about Kurt and Blaine?... Awesome…No, I'm not coming out there, but Finn is…hold on, let me put him on."

Finn, who had said nothing during this whole exchange, trying to cool down, now stared at Rachel as he took the phone. Holding the phone in his hand, he looked at Rachel. "Ray? What do you think?"

Rachel said nothing, still looking at the floor. Stepping closer to her, he used his finger pick up her chin, forcing her to look at his face. "Do you want to come spend time with my family?"

Rachel pulled his face close to hers and searched his eyes, looking in them to see if he was serious or if was just saying this because Mike had sprung this idea on him.

What she saw in his eyes was undeniable. He just wanted to be with her, whether she was acting insane or not. She could see the desire swirling around in his eyes. Quietly, she gave her answer.

"Yes, Finn, I'd like that."

Leaning his forehead against hers, Finn said nothing, keeping his eyes locked on Rachel's, forgetting about everyone else in the room. It wasn't until he heard his mom's voice coming through Mike's cell phone that he remembered there were other people in the room.

Not breaking his hold with Rachel, he put the phone up to his ear. "Hey Mom. Listen I'm coming home for the weekend. And I'm bringing Rachel with me."

* * *

**_A/N: To McFly-and-Glee-Lover: To answer your questions: 1) Yes, I am American. I'm a New Yorker, from a town on Long Island (which certain characters will be visiting shortly :) ), about 40 minutes east of Manhattan. 2) The only British shows we get here are BBC World News, East Enders, As Time Goes By, Keeping Up Appearances, Are You Being Served?, and New Tricks. Occasionally they show Miss Marple and Poirot._**


	12. Hudsons, Hummels, and Humiliation

_**Disclaimer: Glee is still not mine**_

* * *

**_Somethin' in your eyes, makes me wanna lose myself  
Makes me wanna lose myself, in your arms  
There's somethin' in your voice, makes my heart beat fast  
Hope this feeling lasts, the rest of my life_**

**_If you knew how lonely my life has been_**  
**_And how long I've been so alone_**  
**_And if you knew how I wanted someone to come along_**  
**_And change my life the way you've done_**

**_-Chantal Kreviazuk_**

* * *

**_Friday_**

After dropping Vlad off at Artie's for the weekend, Finn and Rachel headed out to Long Island. The trip out to the village of Head of the Harbor took the better part of an hour, which Rachel spent on the back of the motorcycle, her arms happily wrapped around Finn.

She was beyond thrilled to be spending two whole days with just Finn. Tina was right. She really needed to get away from the city. The article was stressing her out even more than she admitted and she felt as if the article was continuously weighing her down.

For the first time in a long time, she _wanted _a relationship, and it figured that when she finally decides she wants one, she's purposely supposed to destroy it in order to advance her career. She was constantly waiting for Finn to finally lose it and dump her with each crazy antic she pulled, and as she got to know Finn better with each passing day, the article was creating a bigger burden on her shoulders. She honestly thought he was going to dump her last night when she'd discovered Vlad and the bear. After he'd started accusing her of being insane, she could do nothing but look at the floor, terrified of what she was going to do without him in her life.

Hope had sprung back into her heart when Mike started talking. Finn's words had been playing on repeat in her head, ever since they'd come out of his mouth.

_You can talk to my mom all you want! I know my mom would love you! She'd love nothing more than to meet you in person; she's told me a million times since you talked to her the other day._

Rachel and Mercedes had dissected this statement in detail after they'd left Finn's apartment, Tina having gone with Mike. Rachel had gotten a warm glow when Mercedes pointed out that he'd said he _knew_ his mom would love her, which meant that he'd spent time thinking about it, and that given the close relationship between mother and son, he was unlikely to date someone his mom wouldn't approve of.

Rachel squeezed her arms around Finn's waist a little tighter, enjoying the feeling of being close to him. She was surprised when she felt him shift his upper body into her, as if he was trying to respond to her squeezes.

With each mile the motorcycle drove, her article was pushed further back into her mind.

* * *

Riding through the main part of the village reminded Rachel of picturesque towns she'd seen in movies. Head of the Harbor even had an old fashioned General Store, the oldest still working one in the USA according to the sign above the door. She watched as they passed rolling fields, where horses grazed idly, making a mental note to write a description of the town in her notebook.

Eventually, they pulled up to a white house set against a river. Rachel liked the colonial style house immediately. It was large, but had an air of comfort about it. She took in the well tended flower beds and the bird feeder hanging from the porch. A porch swing was being moved lazily by the light breeze coming off the river and she could hear snippets of conversation floating from the backyard. It was totally easy to picture Finn growing up here.

Rachel started to walk toward the front door, but Finn put his hand on the small of her back and led her around to the backyard. Seeing Rachel look at him curiously, he explained. "Yeah, uh, no one uses our front door. We don't know why."

Rachel gasped and stopped when she turned the corner of the house. The yard sloped gently down to a winding river, where several ducks were floating lazily. An inground pool was sitting off to the side of the deck, complete with a hot tub. She could see a dock jutting out into the river, with a slide coming off one side of it and a boat tied on the other side. "Finn, this is beautiful."

"Yeah, it was pretty cool growing up with a river in the backyard." Leading her fully into the yard, she now saw several men sitting around the table on the deck.

"Hey everyone, we're here." Walking Rachel onto the deck, he began the necessary introductions. "Everyone, this is Rachel Berry. Rachel, this is Burt, Kurt, and Kurt's boyfriend Blaine."

Turning to Rachel, he said, "Make yourself at home; I'm going to put our stuff in the house and find Mom." He watched as Rachel shook everyone's hand before he gave her hand a squeeze and walked into the house, leaving Rachel standing there.

"So Rachel, why don't you sit? We saw you on TV at the Mets game. I have to say I'm jealous. Finn made sure to call and rub it in that he got to go." Burt smiled, indicating a chair for Rachel to sit.

Rachel liked him immediately. He was casually dressed, with a baseball cap perched upon his head. His entire aura radiated friendliness, but Rachel got the impression that if anyone messed with Kurt, Carole or Finn, he'd be a force to be reckoned with.

His son Kurt was his complete opposite, fashionably dressed in designer clothing. She could feel Kurt appraising her simple sundress as he watched her. He said nothing about her outfit, however, merely commenting, "He called Blaine to rub it in too."

Once she sat down next to Blaine, who was also dressed casually, his curly dark hair neatly styled, Burt continued talking. "We were just getting ready to play a game. You like Uno?"

"I don't think I've ever played." Rachel looked at the three men, who stared back at her in surprise.

"Really?" Kurt asked. "Dad, don't eat that!" he barked, causing Burt to drop the piece of cheese he'd been trying to sneak.

Burt threw Kurt a glare and began a simple explanation. "It's very easy. The object of the game is to get rid of all your cards. You start out with seven cards and you go around the table. You need to match either the color, number, or symbol on the last card put on the table. Sometimes you can make the person after you pick up cards with a Draw Two or Wild. When you have one card you need to say Uno, or you have to take cards. Lowest score wins, first one to 500 loses." Eagerly, he shuffled the cards and began dealing.

"Rachel, let me give you a piece of advice. If you're going to hang around with this family, you _need_ to learn how to play this game. They play it constantly. It is borderline unhealthy," Blaine confided in a loud whisper, earning dirty looks from Burt and Kurt.

Rachel laughed. "Well someone better teach me then."

* * *

Rachel was just getting the hang of the game when Finn and his mom came outside, carrying drinks. Finn obviously got his height from his father, but Rachel could see a resemblance between mother and son. Standing up to greet Carole, she was surprised to be enveloped in a friendly hug.

"Rachel, it's so nice to see you in person! You looked so cute on TV, and you sound adorable on the phone, but I can't tell you how happy I am to finally meet you!" She turned to her husband. "Burt, you need to take your medication before we begin. I don't want a repeat of the 4th of July."

Finn sat down on Rachel's other side, eyeing her cards. "I see you've been learning to play. I think there are a couple of things you should know though."

"Yeah, like that you cheat," Kurt announced, gathering all the cards to shuffle them, earning a laugh from Rachel.

"Like it's my fault you always sit in front of the window and everyone can see your cards in the reflection," Finn retorted.

"Boys, can it and let's play," Carole scolded, sitting down between Burt and Kurt.

Kurt quickly shuffled and dealt the cards. Rachel was just picking up her cards when she heard a familiar voice whisper loudly in her ear.

"There's one more thing you need to know: I play to win."

"In that case, there's something _you_ need to know," Rachel replied in the same loud whisper. "So do I."

Both were so focused on organizing their cards, that neither noticed the knowing look that passed between Burt and Carole.

* * *

Several rounds later, Rachel once again had the lowest score, which meant she was winning, much to Finn's frustration.

"Oh, I think I won again! Isn't that right, Finn?" Rachel asked, purposely rubbing it in. "How many points is that for you?" she asked innocently, knowing Finn had a high score in his hand.

"Please. I'll make a comeback. I always do. Look at the easel. What does it say?" Finn pointed to an easel in the corner that had a chalkboard set up on it. Finn, Burt, Kurt, Carole, and Blaine's name were all listed, along with a tally of the amount of times they'd won. Finn's name was written in pink chalk at the top, along with the most tallies.

"It says Finn written in pink chalk," Rachel replied with a smirk. "How manly."

"Yeah yeah, never mind that. Notice the wins?"

"Mmm-hmm. We'll see about that." Rachel motioned to Blaine to shuffle the cards.

"I think Finn's found someone who can give him a run for his money," Carole teased, causing Rachel to blush.

Finn, Carole noticed, went pink around the ears.

The little smile that crept onto Finn's face didn't escape Carole's attention either.

* * *

Rachel, Kurt and Blaine soon developed a system to make Finn lose by passing cards under the table and behind Finn's back. Between the three of them they managed to cause Finn to gather half the deck in his hand, having to pick up either 2 or 4 cards each turn (if he wasn't being skipped) much to his frustration.

The system worked perfectly, until Kurt, passing a card to Rachel behind Finn, accidently dropped the card, hitting Finn in the back.

Suddenly realizing what was happening, Finn jumped up, throwing his cards on the table. "_**CHEATERS**_!"

Amid the laughter from the rest of the table, he grabbed Kurt and messed up his hair, knowing that would annoy him the most. "And you accuse _me_ of cheating?"

He grabbed Blaine, playfully choking him as he cried, "Passing cards behind my back!"

Finally turning to Rachel, he smiled and grabbed her face in his hands, shaking her face. "I can't believe my own family helps you cheat and not me!" He released her and started to walk toward the house.

"I'm going to go inside and get a beer. Mom, make sure Rachel's wins go on the board with an asterisk next to it, since she cheats!" he called over his shoulder.

"Whatever! I still won! Bring me back a beer, Loser! And one for Burt and Blaine too, while you're at it!" Rachel called back, still laughing.

Carole walked over to the easel to add another tally to Rachel's wins. "Rachel, I expect you to come back frequently, because you have kept Finn to his _worst_ score since the Blackout of 2004!" she yelled through the open kitchen window for Finn's benefit.

"There were extenuating circumstances that day and you know it!" Finn yelled back.

"Extenuating circumstances?" Rachel whispered to Kurt.

Kurt rolled his eyes. "Finn claims that because we had to play by candlelight, he couldn't tell the difference between the green cards and the blue cards. He was playing green cards for blue cards all night and winning because of it, but eventually got caught and we nullified his wins. It knocked him down to second place in the standings for a while," Kurt replied in a normal voice, knowing Finn would hear.

"I still swear that those were blue cards!" Finn yelled from the kitchen, amid the laughter on the deck.

Rachel looked surprised as Carole once again caught her in a hug. "Now Rachel, since you're the big winner, you can just sit and relax, while Finn, as the loser, will help me with dinner."

"Sounds good to me!" Rachel replied, laughing and hugging Carole back. She sat back down next to Blaine, while Carole left to go into the kitchen to round up Finn and inform him of his dinner duties.

"Are you guys this nice to all the girls Finn brings home?" she asked Blaine and Kurt, as Burt bent down to light the barbeque.

"What other girls?" Kurt asked, exchanging looks with Blaine and his father. "You're the first girl he's ever brought home to meet us."

"Yeah, he's picky," Burt added, fiddling with the lighter fluid.

Rachel, unsure of what to think of this, simply blushed and said nothing.

* * *

Dinner at the Hudson-Hummel house was like nothing Rachel had ever seen before. Rachel, an only child, was used to just her and fathers around the dinner table. Dinner had always been a time to quietly discuss current events or what was happening in Rachel's life.

Not so with Finn's family.

Finn and Kurt teased each other constantly, with Blaine or Burt often jumping in to tag team. Rachel could see that Finn and Kurt had a great relationship with each other; the tight brotherly bond was fairly evident. Carole clearly adored both of them, shaking head at their antics, although she too got her jabs in.

Dinner became particularly amusing for Rachel when the conversation went down the _'let's embarrass Finn by telling Rachel humiliating stories about him'_ road.

Rachel had never laughed so hard.

She especially enjoyed when Kurt brought up the infamous Lady Gaga Halloween costume (_Rachel, do you believe it took three red vinyl shower curtains to cover Finn's body?)_ and the time Finn blew up the kitchen and singed his eyebrows off. She couldn't help squeezing his hand when she heard Finn mumble, "How was I supposed to know that you can't microwave aluminum?"

She was even able to contribute a story of her own, telling everyone about how Sue Sylvester had nailed Finn in the head with a baseball glove at the game.

Damn. Finn thought she hadn't seen that.

"I think we all owe Rachel a debt of gratitude though," Kurt announced, once the laughter had died down.

"Why's that?" Finn asked. He looked at Rachel, but she, like everyone else, was looking at Kurt expectantly.

Whipping out his iPhone, Kurt fiddled with it, until he found what he wanted. "Because Rachel has provided us with a classic Finn moment!" Holding out his cell phone, he motioned for everyone to gather around.

Realizing too late what it was, Finn attempted to tackle the phone away from Kurt. Kurt, being smaller and lighter, was able to nimbly sidestep him. Undaunted, he pressed play and tried to contain his laughter as Finn's Karaoke performances began to play. Dropping the phone in Burt's hands, Kurt took off at a run, still laughing as Finn chased after him.

"Thank you Rachel for sending that to Artie!" Kurt managed to yell just before Finn caught him and dumped him in the pool, his screams about his designer clothing being ruined drowned out by the splash.

Rachel had never enjoyed a dinner more.

* * *

Despite Carole's insistence that Rachel should sit and enjoy herself, Rachel helped her clean up and wash the dishes. Leaving the boys and Burt outside, Carole and Rachel began cleaning the dishes in the kitchen.

"So Rachel, how did you and Finn meet? He's always so vague on the phone," Carole asked, as she scraped the remains of dinner off a plate and into the garbage.

"It's a funny story actually. I was at the bar with my friends, and this gross guy came up to me, spewing the worst pickup lines ever. He even used the line _I'm new in town. Can I have directions to your place?_" Rachel shuddered at the memory, while Carole laughed.

"I remember those days. I once had someone ask me if he could have my phone number because he lost his," Carole told her, pulling on her cleaning gloves.

Rachel laughed. "Anyway, I couldn't get rid of this guy, and just as he was trying to grab my butt and telling me my dress would look amazing next to his bed, Finn came out of nowhere and pretended to be my boyfriend, asking me if I was ready to go, because we had dinner reservations." Rachel grabbed the dish towel, smiling dreamily as she dried the dishes Carole was washing.

Carole said nothing, grinning at the smile on Rachel's face. Seeing that Rachel was lost in her memories, she finally prompted Rachel. "So what happened next?"

"Well Jacob followed us, watching us out the window to see if we were really dating, I guess. Finn put his arms around me while we talked, but Jacob still wouldn't go away, so Finn decided that we really did need to leave to go to dinner, and we just talked for hours." Rachel decided to leave out the part about going back to his apartment and kissing, figuring that Carole wouldn't want to hear that part. "And we've spent time together every day since then."

"Who knew my son could be so chivalrous?" Carole commented, washing the next dish.

"I'm sorry about your first husband, by the way," Rachel said, taking the dish from Carole to dry it.

"He talked about Christopher?" Carole asked incredulously, spinning around to look at Rachel.

Rachel looked surprised. "Yes, he talked about how he wonders if his father was still alive, would he still be doing advertising or would his life would have gone in a different direction."

Carole stared at Rachel. "He _never_ talks about his father with anyone outside the family. You must really rate." Grabbing Rachel, she swept her up in a bone crushing hug.

For the second time that day, Rachel found herself blushing from Carole's words.

* * *

Burt and Blaine headed into the Family Room, ready to watch the game, Finn trailing along behind.

As he passed the kitchen, he couldn't help but notice his mom and Rachel working side by side at the sink, talking and laughing like old friends. Suspecting that he was the reason for the laughter, he wandered into the kitchen.

"What are you two ladies laughing about?" he asked putting one arm around Rachel and one arm around Carole. Both women immediately stopped laughing, which wasn't a good sign. He could've sworn he'd heard the words "_Sergeant VonFuzzyBear_" escape from his mom's mouth as he'd walked in, but he wasn't sure.

"Nothing, Finn," Rachel responded coyly, glancing at Carole as she snaked an arm around Finn.

"Mom?" he asked suspiciously, now knowing for sure that he was the cause of the laughter.

"Oh, Finn, I was just telling Rachel about how you carried Sergeant VonFuzzyBear around with you everywhere," Carole said dismissively, laughing as she watched Finn go crimson. "Anyway, I wish you could have seen it, Rachel. He refused to go anywhere, unless Sergeant VonFuzzyBear went also. If we went out to a restaurant, the Sergeant had to have a seat at the table also. Finn even had to give him a menu!"

Carole laughed at the memory, reaching up to pat Finn's face. "I'm sure I have pictures of it somewhere. The Sergeant may even be in the attic!"

Still crimson, he looked down at Rachel, who was laughing and squeezing her arms around him. "I'm sure it was adorable," she said, looking up at Finn affectionately.

"I'm going in to watch the game and get my manhood back. Are you coming?" he asked Rachel.

"In a little bit, we just have a few more dishes to do," Rachel replied, turning Finn and shoving him towards the door. "I'm sure your mom still has a few more stories. If not, I can always ask Kurt."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that. I've got some dirt on Kurt that I'm sure Blaine would _love_ to know about," Finn called over his shoulder as he walked towards the Family Room.

"Now that he's gone, let me tell you about the time his high school football team did the _'Single Ladies'_ dance," Carole proclaimed. "Let me just get Kurt. He tells it better."

* * *

Finn could hear the peals of laughter coming from the kitchen. Knowing total humiliation awaited him in the kitchen, he opted to stay in the Family Room with Burt and Blaine.

"I don't remember doing this to Kurt the first time Blaine came over," Finn complained to Burt, as Kurt's voice floated in from the kitchen loudly proclaiming, "_He's got the rhythm of a Baboon!" _followed by fresh peals of laughter.

Burt smiled. "It's all part of dating. My mother brought out the baby book within five minutes of meeting my first wife. And besides, we did it to Kurt eventually. He was just smart enough to bring Blaine over for the first time when you weren't here."

"Yeah, we did a drive-by on our way somewhere else. Carole and Kurt have a captive audience in there. Sorry, man." Blaine patted Finn on the shoulder. "If it helps, the first time Kurt met my parents, my sister told him all about my imaginary friend Hector."

Burt laughed. "Kurt's imaginary friend was named Princess Elizabeth." Finn and Blaine both laughed, each storing that nugget of information for later use. "I'm out of beer. Who's doing a beer run?"

"I'm _not_ going in there!" Finn declared. His mom was probably telling Rachel about the Batman underwear he had when he was five.

Burt looked at Blaine. "That leaves you man. Do some reconnaissance, and see how badly Finn's being humiliated."

"Got it." Blaine got up and quickly left the room.

Burt looked at Finn. "She's great Finn. I can tell Carole loves her."

Finn looked down at his beer bottle, embarrassed.

Blaine came back holding three beers and attempting to suppress a laugh.

"What?" Finn asked suspiciously, taking his beer from Blaine.

"Nothing. I just never knew _'I'm a Little Teapot'_ was your favorite song."

Finn groaned and put his head in his hands. This was beyond humiliating.

Beyond humiliating and yet...he couldn't care less.

* * *

Rachel finally came strolling into the Family Room a little while later, wearing her Mets jersey and carrying a round of beers.

"Got your fill of embarrassing stories?" Finn asked as she settled in next to him after handing out the beers.

"For now," she quipped, sliding her arm through his and leaning her head on his shoulder. "What's the score?"

She listened as Burt explained how the Mets scored, leaning on Finn and intertwining their fingers.

This feeling of contentment, of _home_, had been growing stronger with each passing minute she spent with Finn's family. Carole, Burt, Kurt and Blaine had welcomed her as if she was an official member of the family and not a complete stranger from the moment she had stepped into the backyard. Not once had she felt like an outsider here for approval. Their inside jokes and family lore had been revealed to her immediately, and she felt as if they belonged in her own history now.

She sighed as Finn moved to wrap his arm around her shoulder, allowing her to snuggle deeper into him.

"You okay, Rachel?" Finn asked, looking down at her.

"I'm perfect Finn." She smiled up at him, her smiling getting wider when he gave her that lopsided smile she loved so much.

Unable to resist that smile, she pulled his face down to hers and gave him a tender kiss.

Resuming her previous position, she turned her attention back to the game, as Finn began idly playing with her hair.

She felt completely at peace here.

* * *

Rachel had just changed into her pajamas and was just about to climb into bed when she heard a knock at the door.

"Come in," she called, expecting to see Finn. Instead, Carole came into the room.

Standing near the edge of the bed, Carole looked at Rachel. "I just wanted to make sure you have everything you needed."

"I'm fine. Thank you so much for having me," Rachel replied, smiling.

Carole smiled back. "I should be thanking you," she told her, turning towards the door.

"For what?" Rachel asked surprised.

"For making my son so happy." With that Carole closed the door, leaving a stunned Rachel sitting in bed.

Rachel lay back in bed, unable to contain the grin that was forming on her face from Carole's words. Did she really make Finn happy? Sure, he'd been in a really good mood all day, but that could be from anything. Still, Carole had said it was from _her._

Her mind happily replayed all the events of the day.

Little did she know that down the hall a certain advertising executive was doing the same thing.

* * *

_**A/N: Yay for happy Finchel!**_


	13. Skiing towards Love

**_Disclaimer: Glee is not mine_**

* * *

_**Lying here with you  
Listening to the rain  
Smiling just to see the smile upon your face  
These are the moments I thank God that I'm alive  
These are the moments I'll remember all my life  
I found all I've waited for  
And I could not ask for more**_

_**-Edwin McCain "I Could Not Ask for More"**_

* * *

**_Saturday_**

Rachel awoke early, quickly showering and getting dressed. She was anxious to get down to the kitchen, not wanting to be the last one awake. As it turned out, she didn't have anything to worry about, since she could hear Finn snoring away as she walked past his room. Smiling to herself, she continued to the kitchen, only to find Kurt sitting at the table drinking coffee and reading a magazine.

"Why hello Rachel Berry," he greeted, idly turning the page. Rachel was surprised to see that he was reading _Maquillage. _"I was just waiting for more people to get up before I started making breakfast."

"Want some help?" Kurt immediately tossed her an apron in response.

"I see you're reading _Maquillage._ Did Finn tell you I work there?" she asked as she tied on the apron.

Kurt, who had started getting some bowls out of the cabinet, was so startled by Rachel's announcement that he actually dropped one. "_Shut up_. You work there? Tell me everything. Who have you met?" His eyes scanned Rachel's outfit critically. "I guess they don't let you keep the clothes from photo shoots?"

Rachel looked down at her sundress, which had butterflies scattered all over it in confusion before she began filling Kurt in about working at the magazine. Talking easily, they worked side by side making pancakes, muffins, bacon, eggs and French toast.

"This is a lot of food. Do we really need this much?" Rachel asked, looking at the mounds of food doubtfully as Burt and Carole came in, followed shortly by Blaine.

Burt, hearing Rachel's question, answered for Kurt. "Rachel, if there's one thing you need to know about Finn, it's that the boy can _eat._" He shook his head. "I've never seen anything like it."

Carole, who had begun setting the table, laughed. "It's true, Rachel. Why don't you go wake the Human Garbage Disposal up? Otherwise, he won't grace us with his presence until about 3:00 this afternoon."

Smiling, Rachel headed for the stairs.

"Good Luck!" Kurt called after her. He looked at Carole and Burt. "You think she's already seen how miserable he is when he wakes up?"

Carole looked at him. "Kurt, there are some things a mother doesn't want to know."

* * *

Quietly, Rachel opened the door to Finn's room. She could actually hear him snoring from the stairs. "Finn? Time to wake up!"

No response.

Walking into the room, she could now see that Finn was spread out on the bed. He was lying on his stomach, one arm spread across the bed. His legs were stretched out at a weird angle, tangled in the blankets.

"Finn?"

Again, no response. She was starting to understand why Kurt had wished her luck.

Walking over to the bed, she poked Finn, which had no effect. Clearly, more drastic measures were needed, so she grabbed a shoulder and started to shake him.

"No, Mom, I swear there's no school today," he mumbled, turning over onto his back.

"Finny, it's me. You need to wake up."

When this got no response either, she got an idea. Climbing onto the bed, she straddled Finn and leaned close to his face, gently placing soft kisses near his ear.

"Vlad, go away," Finn mumbled.

Rachel stopped kissing Finn temporarily to look at him in surprise. What went on in that apartment when it was just him and Vlad?

Returning to the job at hand, she began kissing and biting his neck, soothing the area with her tongue. She could feel Finn start to respond, although she wasn't sure if he still thought she was Vlad. Sitting back up, she ran her finger along his bare chest.

He made a noise, so she took that as a sign of progress.

She moved onto his ear, taking his earlobe in her mouth. Releasing his earlobe, and using what she hoped was a sultry voice, she whispered in his ear, "Baby, I think you should wake up."

She could feel him moving beneath her, although he still didn't open his eyes. His hands, however, came up and settled on her thighs.

Rachel leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. She knew he was awake when he responded to her kiss with one of his own. If Rachel had any doubts that he was fully awake, they disappeared immediately when Finn flipped them over, still kissing Rachel.

"Finn!" Rachel shrieked as Finn pinned her down on the bed.

"Morning baby," he murmured as he placed kisses along her jawbone.

"Your mom sent me to wake you up. Breakfast is ready." Rachel managed to get this statement out, even though with every kiss, she was slowly losing the ability to speak coherent sentences.

"Mmm. You did a very good job waking me up. _Much_ better than my mom or Kurt," Finn told her, nuzzling his face into her neck. "My mom used to dump the mattress over and Kurt uses water."

"Your mom dumped the mattress over? With you on it?" Rachel couldn't help but laugh, causing Finn to look up and give her a lopsided smile.

"Yeah, she may be small, but she's got the strength of the Incredible Hulk when needs to." He chuckled into her neck, his hands running lightly along her stomach.

"Well then, I better get downstairs. I don't want to make her mad. You, on the other hand, need to take a shower and get dressed." Giving Finn one final kiss, she pushed him off of her, and climbed off the bed. "I'll see you downstairs."

Finn watched her leave from his position on the bed before getting up to take a _cold_ shower.

* * *

"I'm impressed. You're dressed and down to breakfast before we're done eating," Kurt said, as Finn came downstairs 20 minutes later. "You must really want to impress Rachel," he teased.

Burt, Blaine and Kurt all chuckled as a blush suffused over Finn's face.

Finn, glancing around and seeing that Rachel was not in the room to hear that last comment, slapped Kurt on the back of the head as he walked past his chair. Taking his usual seat, he grabbed a muffin from the basket and loaded up his plate with eggs, French Toast and Pancakes.

"Where _is_ Rachel?" he asked as he liberally applied syrup and butter to his pancakes.

"Carole is showing her your baby pictures and school pictures," Kurt cheerfully announced, taking pleasure in watching Finn choke on his muffin as he digested this information. "I hope she shows Rachel the picture of you naked except for a pair of cowboy boots and hat," he added gleefully.

Taking cover when a muffin sailed his way, Kurt couldn't help but laugh.

"Naked Cowboy, huh?" Blaine teased, causing Kurt to laugh harder.

"I wouldn't laugh too hard, Kurt. I happen to know a picture exists of you wearing my tool belt and not much else," Burt announced, coming to Finn's rescue.

"Oh really?" Finn said, turning to Kurt, a wicked smile on his face.

"You two could form your own Village People, with Finn as the Cowboy and Kurt as the Construction Worker," Blaine cried, tears practically streaming down his face at the thought.

It was his turn to duck as muffins came sailing at him from two different directions, while Burt laughed hysterically.

Carole and Rachel chose that moment to come back into the Kitchen. Walking over to the table, Rachel smiled at Finn as she sat down next to him.

"So guys, what's the plan for today? Boat?" Burt asked hopefully.

"That's what I was thinking. It's going to be like 85 degrees today, so the water should be ok." Finn said, looking to Kurt and Blaine for their approval.

"What are you talking about?" Rachel asked, looking at the other five people around the table in confusion. They all seemed to know what Finn was talking about.

"You saw the boat in the back, right? We'll take the boat out on the Long Island Sound, do some tubing and water-skiing, maybe some swimming," Finn explained, hoping Rachel didn't get seasick.

"Yeah, normally, by the middle of October, we can't go out anymore, but since we've been having an Indian Summer, we've been able to keep going out," Burt added. "We haven't even closed the pool yet, it's been so warm."

"Oh, well that sounds like fun, I guess," Rachel replied nervously. "I've never done any of those things though."

"Rachel, trust me. It's a lot of fun. I even do it, although I think I'll pass today. How about Burt and I meet you guys at the beach for lunch? We'll text you when we're all set up and ready and you can just meet us in the usual spot," Carole decided, looking to the group for confirmation. Burt, looking disappointed that he wasn't going on the boat, nodded his head in agreement.

"What do you think Ray? You don't have to do anything if you don't want to. You can just watch," Finn clarified, looking at Rachel who still looked slightly nervous.

"Okay, I'll go." Rachel looked at Finn mischievously. "Should I wear my cowboy boots and hat?"

Kurt almost fell off his chair laughing.

"_**Mooommmm**_!"

* * *

Rachel nervously walked towards the boat, adjusting her clothing. Finn had texted her Thursday night, telling her to bring a bathing suit. Mercedes, who had been helping her decide what to bring, insisted that she bring the bikini that she and Tina had forced Rachel to buy from Victoria's Secret over the summer. Rachel had never been able to bring herself to wear it, feeling that it was too sexy for her. She'd shoved it in the back of her drawer and forgotten about it.

Unfortunately for her, Mercedes hadn't.

A battle had ensued when Mercedes saw the one-piece Rachel had been planning on bringing, ending only when Mercedes threatened to call Finn and ask him which bathing suit he'd like to see Rachel in. The result was that Rachel was now walking down the dock wearing tiny cargo shorts and a white tank top. Underneath it was _the _bathing suit.

She blushed just thinking about it.

Gracing her chest was a coral colored balconet top with tiny white dots on it, small white ruffle running along the top with tiny coral dots on it. Under her cargo shorts was the corresponding bottom, coral with white dots, a small white ruffle with coral dots once again running along the top. She blushed even deeper knowing that this type of bottom was called "_Cheeky_."

Too bad Mercedes had caught her trying to sneak her one piece into her bag and had confiscated it.

Walking toward the boat, Rachel could see Kurt and Blaine already in the boat. Finn was nowhere to be seen. As she stood next to the boat, she saw that Finn was actually in the boat also, but was bending down checking something.

"Should I just get in?" she asked Kurt, who'd looked up from applying his sunscreen when he heard the footsteps.

Finn looked up when he heard her voice, and actually dropped the can of oil he'd been holding.

"Uh. Yeah. You. I'll help." Reaching for Rachel, he grabbed her by the waist, picking her up and depositing her in the boat. He caught a glimpse of her bikini top under her tank top as he put her down.

His mouth suddenly went dry.

* * *

"Are you sure about this?" Rachel looked at Finn doubtfully. "What if the rope doesn't hold?"

"Rachel, it's totally safe. If you want, I'll go first." Finn finished hooking up the tow rope to the back of the boat. Turning to Blaine, he asked, "What do you want to do first, tube or water ski?"

"Tube!"

"Tube it is. Ray, watch how much fun it is." Hooking the tube up to the tow rope, he deposited it over the side of the boat, still holding the tube close to the side. "Blaine, get your life jacket and hop in."

Eagerly, Blaine grabbed the life jacket, standing on the swim platform at the back of the boat. Finn floated the tube over to Blaine, who quickly sat down on it. Letting go of the tube, Finn watched as the tow rope became taut as Blaine slowly floated away.

"Rachel, you sit and watch the fun. Kurt, you know what to do," Finn directed as he took his place behind the steering wheel of the boat. Rachel watched nervously as Blaine got further and further away.

"Ready?" Finn yelled back to him.

Getting a thumbs up in response, Finn started the engine, and with a loud roar, the boat took off towing Blaine in the tube behind it.

The tube began gliding along the top of the water, occasionally bouncing Blaine when it hit a wave. When Finn turned the boat, the tube glided wide right, reaching the smooth water, before straightening out and gliding back behind the boat. Finn drove the boat in large lazy circles, Blaine riding smoothly behind.

"Should we do it?" Finn yelled to Kurt.

"Do it! He was being an ass this morning," Kurt responded enthusiastically. He leaned down to yell to Rachel over the engine. "Rachel, ignore this part. Finn won't do this to you. Of course, if you want, we could do it to Finn."

Curious to see what was going happen, Rachel turned her attention back to the tube. She noticed that Finn had increased the speed of the boat, purposely cutting back and forth across his own wake, making Blaine go airborne every time he hit a wave. Rachel could see Blaine holding on for dear life, looking like a rodeo rider on a bucking bronco. When the tube hit a particularly large wave, Blaine again went airborne and flipped right out of the tube in midair, landing in the water, the tube landing nearby.

Horrified, Rachel looked back at Kurt and Finn, surprised to see Kurt laughing.

"He's out!" Kurt yelled to Finn, still laughing. Finn slowed down, circling near Blaine. Cutting the engine, he waited for Blaine to swim back to the boat.

"Kurt! I know that was your idea!" Blaine yelled once he was within hearing range. Rachel watched nervously, hoping he wasn't too angry. She was only slightly mollified to see Blaine laughing as he swam closer to the boat.

"Well, Rachel? What did you think?" Finn asked, turning to see what she thought of it.

"It looks like fun, but did that hurt, Blaine?" she questioned as he climbed onto the swim deck. Kurt had begun pulling the tube in to allow the next person to get on it.

"Not at all. Don't worry, they do that on purpose, but I'll have my revenge." He opened his life jacket and took it off, placing it on the back seat. Wrapping himself in a towel he sat down near Rachel. "You going to try it? It's a lot of fun."

"Maybe. I think I need to see one more person go," Rachel decided.

Blaine leaned in closer. "A piece of advice. You and Kurt are most likely going to have to wear the same life jacket. If you go first, it'll be dry for you. Nothing's worse than putting on a wet life jacket." Looking at Kurt still reeling in the tube, he continued in a low tone. "Kurt's going to be sorry he flipped me out of that tube. He _hates_ putting on a wet life jacket."

"Alright, who's next?" Finn asked as Kurt finally reeled in the tube, holding it in place. "Ray? You wanna try?"

Glancing at Blaine, who winked conspiratorially, she made her decision. "Um, okay, I'll go."

Finn grinned. "That's my girl."

Rachel smiled nervously back. He didn't need to know that she was willing to go now just to avoid a wet life jacket.

Still uncomfortable about her bathing suit, she slowly took off her shirt and cargo shorts.

Finn, who had been getting Kurt's life jacket, turned around just as she finished removing her shorts. Momentarily forgetting what he was supposed to be doing, he just stared dumbly, licking his lips several times.

A sharp jab in the ribs from Kurt snapped him out of his stupor.

Handing her Kurt's life jacket, Finn helped her put it on, focusing on tightening the straps securely. It was taking every ounce of his self control to stop himself from drooling over how hot she looked in her bathing suit.

Rachel walked to the back of the boat, feeling as if she was going to her death. She still didn't totally trust that rope, and Blaine flipping out of the tube was still fresh in her mind.

Turning to Finn, she wrapped her arms around his waist, opening her eyes wide. "Swear you won't flip me out of the tube like you did to Blaine?"

"Scout's honor, Rachel, I swear. Now stop stalling and get in the tube." Placing a hand on the small of her back, he turned her and pushed her in the direction of the swim platform.

"Rachel, I know Finn. And believe me, it has already registered in his mind that if he wants to get anywhere _near_ your body in the foreseeable future, it would be in his best interest _**not**_ to flip you," Kurt said as he helped her onto the swim platform.

Rachel laughed, seeing the tips of Finn's ears turn red. Carefully, she sat down in the tube, hanging her feet over the side, feeling the water pooling at the bottom. "What do I hold on to?" she asked, slightly panicked.

Kurt, still holding the tube, indicated two straps situated in between her legs. "I'm going to let go now, ok? Have fun!"

Rachel nodded, looking to Finn for reassurance. He grinned at her encouragingly, locking eyes with her. She maintained eye contact with him as she began drifting further away from the boat. Once she was too far away to see his eyes, she focused on his form instead.

"Ready baby?" he yelled from the boat.

As she had seen Blaine do, she gave a thumbs up. She saw Finn turn around and a second later felt the tube rise out of the water, gliding along the top as Finn picked up speed.

It was exhilarating. Rachel had never felt anything like it. She glided back and forth smoothly, the wind whipping her hair. Loving when the tube picked up speed and sped from side to side, she imagined that this was how birds felt when they skimmed the water surface. She felt the occasional bump when the tube hit a wave, but found she actually liked it.

All too soon, the ride came to a stop. Rachel, unsure of what to do, simply sat in the tube, as Blaine pulled her in by the tow rope. Once she got close enough to the swim platform she tried to climb out of the tube and onto the platform, but found the tube was too deep. She tried several times to maneuver her way out of the tube, but to no avail.

Feeling foolish as the three boys watched her numerous attempts to get out of the tube, she looked at the boys. All three wore the same shit eating grin. They obviously knew something she didn't. "Finn? A little help?"

Grinning impishly, he looked at her. "I can't help you. You made me swear not to flip you, and that's the only way out."

"Fine Finn, if that's how you're going to be, I'll figure it out myself." Ignoring the grins of the three boys, she tried rolling to the side, forcing her weight onto one side, hoping it would flip the tube.

It did.

Rachel emerged from under the water, grinning triumphantly. She swam over to the platform, climbing up and letting the water drip off her.

Unfortunately, a wave came along rocking the boat and knocking her back into the water. Rachel once again emerged from under the water, this time in shock at what had happened. Climbing back on the platform, she could see all three boys howling uncontrollably.

"Finn! It wasn't that funny!" Rachel huffed as she took off her life jacket and climbed over the side of the boat.

"I'm sorry Rach, but I wish you could have seen your face!" Finn said, still chuckling as he wrapped her in a towel. Rubbing his hands up and down the towel to dry her, he looked at her and asked, "Well, what did you think? Did I take you for a ride?"

Rachel smiled. "I loved it."

* * *

They spent the rest of the morning taking turns tubing and fooling around. As Blaine had predicted, Kurt threw a fit when he realized that his life jacket was wet, but it soon became a moot point, since Finn simply picked him up and threw him overboard to stop the complaining.

"Alright, it's Finn's turn, since he's been driving the entire time," Kurt announced, stepping in between the steering wheel and handing Finn his life jacket.

As Finn put it on, he jokingly turned to Rachel. "Promise you won't flip me?" he teased.

Rachel laughed, grabbing his hands in hers. "Scout's Honor, Finn."

"All right Lover Boy, get in the water," Kurt commanded. Obediently, Finn climbed over and sat in the tube, letting it float away.

As soon as Finn was out of hearing distance, Kurt turned to Rachel and Blaine. "He is _so_ getting flipped."

Rachel tore her eyes away from Finn to look at Kurt. "Kurt, I swore I wouldn't flip him!"

Kurt laughed. "_You_ swore. I didn't."

Rachel smirked, turning back to watch what would surely be an entertaining ride for Finn.

* * *

Carole and Burt met them on the beach for lunch. They had already set up a portable barbeque, chairs, an umbrella and a small table when Finn moored the boat.

"Why are we stopping here?" Rachel asked, noticing the boat was still in slightly deep water. "How are we going to get to the beach?"

"We have to stop here. If I pull it in any further, the engine will get stuck in the sand. And to answer your other question, we climb out and walk or swim. It's not as deep as it looks." Finn replied, concentrating on making sure that the anchor was secure.

Satisfied, Finn followed Kurt and Blaine, who had each jumped out of the boat and were swimming to shore. He jumped into the water, surfaced and looked back at Rachel, who was standing on the swim platform. "You coming?"

Smiling at him, Rachel jumped.

Finn was wrong. It _was_ deeper than it looked, at least for her. As soon as she jumped off the swim platform, she went under the water. Surfacing, she began treading water as she looked at Finn who was only chest deep in the water. "We can't all be Jolly Green Giants like you. _You_ may be able to stand, but I can't."

Swimming over to Finn, she wrapped her arms around his neck from behind. Doing her best Sue Sylvester imitation, she barked out, "Hudson! Not bringing me to the beach immediately is grounds for a lunch forfeit! It's in my contract!"

Laughing, Finn started walking towards the beach, Rachel riding piggyback. "It's in your contract, huh?"

"Yes. I had that clause written in last week," Rachel quipped, playing along.

"I see. Fortunately, I also met with my lawyers last week, and it's now in _my_ contract to do this." Quickly, Finn bent backwards dunking Rachel back into the water, causing her to lose her grip on his neck, and slide back into the water.

"Very funny." Replacing her arms around his neck, she gently kissed the bruise around his eye and whispered into his ear. "Unless you want me to tell everyone how you _really_ got that bruise, I suggest you get me back to the beach quickly."

"Damn. You play dirty Rachel," Finn commented, grabbing her legs to secure her against him as he began walking towards the beach.

Laughing, Rachel kissed his bruise again. "You know it."

* * *

"Where are Finn and Rachel?" Carole asked, as Blaine and Kurt walked up to the barbeque. Kurt simply smirked, while Blaine nodded his head back towards the boat.

Carole eyes followed Blaine's head nod, just in time to see Finn dunk Rachel off his back and into the water. She smiled indulgently as she watched Rachel climb back on and kiss her son's face. As they made their way out of the water, laughing at something, Carole's eyes misted.

"She's perfect for him, don't you think?" she asked no one in particular.

Burt put his arm around Carole knowingly. "She's going to keep him on his toes; that's for sure."

Carole waited until Finn, Rachel still clinging to his back, walked over to the group and deposited Rachel on the sand. Grabbing Rachel in a big hug, she whispered in Rachel's ear.

"Don't go breaking his heart now."

* * *

Finn watched as Rachel fell yet again. Frustrated, she threw her head back and allowed herself to float, while the boat circled around yet again. He knew she was wondering _why _she couldn't get the hang of water-skiing. She'd watched Blaine and Finn both do it effortlessly, yet she couldn't manage to stand up on the skis at all. As soon as the boat started, she'd start to stand up, only to immediately fall, usually losing at least one of the skis.

She'd managed to fall every which way, but refused to stop trying. Finn could see the determined line her mouth had set into. He smiled at how stubborn she was being (as long as it wasn't directed at him, it was cute), insisting that she would try again. He wanted so badly to see that blinding smile she got when she was happy or excited about something and racked his brain trying to think of a way help.

Grabbing a life jacket, he got an idea.

* * *

Rachel sighed as she waited for the boat to come back yet again. If she had known that she'd be water-skiing, she'd have done some research and studied some techniques for learning to water-ski. She was beginning to wish she'd opted to stay back on the beach with Carole, like Kurt had.

Burt, who had taken Kurt's place on the boat, shouted encouragement and directions to Rachel as the boat got nearer. Sighing, she swam towards the ski floating idly nearby, ready to try yet again.

She had just reached the ski, when she heard a loud splash. Startled, she looked around to see what the source of the splash was, only to see Finn swimming towards her.

"What are you doing?" she asked in surprise, watching as Finn grabbed the ski from her and shoved her foot in the boot.

"Helping you. I could see how frustrated you are and while I think a frustrated Rachel is an adorable Rachel, I can tell you don't." He smiled at her as he caught the tow rope Blaine tossed to him.

"But what are you going to do?" Rachel asked, still slightly confused, but happily replaying his words in her head.

"I'm going to be behind you, supporting you when you start. I'll try to give you a boost," Finn replied, handing her the tow rope. The boat started slowly moving away, leaving the two of them in its wake.

Finn pulled Rachel in front of him, talking into her ear, his voice immediately calming her. "Ok, knees to your chest; hold on to the tow rope. As soon as the boat starts, try to stand. If you fall, you fall. I'll still be here, waiting to help you." He could see the rope starting to tighten, which meant that Burt would soon start the boat. Quickly, he kissed the side of her face. "You need to believe that you can do this, Rachel. If it helps, I know you can."

Rachel looked back at him as best she could, unable to form any words.

"Ready Finn?" Blaine called from the boat.

"You ready, Rachel?" Hearing Rachel murmur an assent, he gave a thumbs up to Blaine.

With a loud roar the boat started. Finn immediately tried to use every muscle he had to give Rachel a boost out of the water. Wobbly, Rachel stood up for about 5 feet before promptly falling again.

Nevertheless, she had stood up for 5 feet, a fact not lost on either Rachel or Finn.

"Finn! I stood up for a couple of feet!" she cried excitedly, as she floated on her back, waiting for the boat to circle back again.

"I saw, Rach! You did awesome!" Finn swam over to where Rachel was, giving her a kiss in reward. "Next time, I know you'll get up and ski."

She didn't get up the next time, or even the time after that, but each time, she went a little further.

Finn, seeing that Rachel was getting the hang of it, secretly gave her less help each time, something Rachel hadn't caught onto yet.

On her fifth try with Finn in the water, she managed to get up and stay up. Finn, who hadn't helped her at all, simply floated in the water and watched as she skied away, a proud feeling overwhelming his heart, along with another emotion he couldn't quite identify.

* * *

Rachel couldn't believe how far she'd gotten once she managed to stand. She'd managed to ski three full laps around before falling. Happily, she floated in the water, automatically looking for Finn, forgetting that he was back where she'd started.

When the boat came near her, she could see that both Burt and Blaine were clapping for her. Grinning widely, she passed her skis to Blaine before climbing back into the boat. Momentarily upset that she couldn't immediately share her victory with Finn, she wrapped herself in a towel, while Burt started the boat, ready to go pick up Finn.

She didn't realize how badly she wanted to share her moment with Finn, until she saw him standing on the swim platform. Unable to control herself, she stood up and dropped her towel, bounding across the seat and jumping at him, with a cry of "Finny! I did it!"

Finn, who had just begun to unbuckle his life jacket, had no time to prepare for impact. The momentum of Rachel launching herself into his arms knocked him backwards, sending them both off the swim platform and into the water. Knowing Rachel wasn't wearing a life jacket, he hung onto her as hard as he could. Once they surfaced, Rachel's excitement returned as she placed her arms around his neck.

"Finn! Did you see? Did you see how far I went?" Finn couldn't help but grin at the blinding smile that graced Rachel's face.

"I saw! Baby, you were awesome!" Taking advantage of Rachel's proximity, he leaned forward and placed a kiss on her lips. Rachel responded eagerly and wrapped her arms tighter around his neck, relishing the moment and just the feeling of _him._

"Ahem. If you two are done, we can head back now," Burt teased.

Glaring at Burt for interrupting their moment, Finn separated himself from Rachel, allowing her to climb onto the platform and into the boat before he did.

Taking the towel Blaine offered him, he sat down in a chair, pulling Rachel into his lap and wrapping the towel around both of them. He rested his chin on her shoulder as he felt her lean back into him.

Content, neither said another word.

* * *

"You sure you don't mind driving the boat back, Finn?" Burt asked as he climbed out of the boat, prepared to swim back to where Carole and Kurt were waiting. Blaine had already climbed out and had begun swimming back.

"It's totally fine. We'll meet you back at the house," Finn replied, handing Burt his hat over the side of the boat. He watched as Burt swim away, turning cheerfully to Rachel. "Looks like it's just you and me."

"Why did everyone want to go back in the car?" Rachel asked, watching Burt and Blaine swim away.

"It's much quicker to go back by car because the boat has to go slow down the river. Kurt doesn't like to let the salt water stay in his hair for too long, so either Burt or I always gets stuck bringing the boat back," Finn replied as he started the boat and sped off.

He stopped the boat after a few minutes, wanting to point out something to Rachel. His eyes dilated at the sight in front of him as he turned around.

Rachel stood at the back of the boat, staring out into the calm waters. She smiled as she felt two strong arms wrap around her waist, placing her own hands over his, entwining their fingers. She leaned back into his chest, sighing.

"What's the matter, babe?"

"Nothing. Just dreading going back to the city." It was true too. She felt as if this was an illusion, as if all the progress they'd made in the past 24 hours would suddenly disappear when they got back.

"We can come back any time you want, you know," Finn told her, leaning down to kiss her head.

The implication of Finn's statement was not lost on Rachel. She turned in his arms, leaning her head against his bare chest. Happiness radiated through her body at the thought, and her eyes misted over, spilling tears onto Finn's chest.

Finn, feeling the tears, looked down. "Rachel, why are you crying?"

"I've just loved everything about this weekend. Your family has been so welcoming to me and it's just all so new to me." Rachel buried her head in Finn's chest.

"Baby, that's a good thing. They can be crazy, but they love you, even Kurt," Finn told her soothingly, holding her closer to him.

"I don't think Kurt likes my clothes, but no, that's not what I mean." She bit her lip nervously, not looking at him. In a quiet voice she went on, "I haven't been in a relationship since I was seventeen. It was so horrible; I avoided relationships at all costs after that."

He pulled her in even closer, as if his hug could erase all the horrible memories she had of her past relationship. Gently, he started rubbing her hair, while his other hand rested on her back.

Rachel picked her head up to look at him. Even with her hair messed up from the water, and her eyes filled with tears, Finn thought she could not look more beautiful. He wiped a stray tear off her face with his thumb, cupping her face and pulling her in for a tender kiss. He felt Rachel respond, although she pulled away quicker than he liked.

She looked at him for a second, before pulling him back down and kissing him with all the passion she could pour into it. Without breaking the kiss, Finn picked her up, allowing Rachel to lock her legs around him. He ran his tongue over her bottom lip, sucking gently on it before allowing his tongue to enter her mouth, where their tongues proceeded to battle for dominance.

A sudden wave caused the boat to rock, making Finn lose his balance. They tumbled to the floor, never breaking their embrace.

Rachel finally broke their kiss, her eyes locked on his as she straddled his lap. Finn watched, his hands on her hips rubbing small patterns, as she began examining his face. The love and desire she saw in his face told her all she needed to know and at that moment, she knew that she was about to give her entire heart, body and soul to Finn.

Finn sat up, grabbing Rachel and kissing her as if his life depended on it. Tangling his fingers in her hair, he could feel her moan into his mouth. He sucked her bottom lip before brushing his lips gently along her jaw line and settling on her neck, nipping gently. Reaching her ear, he murmured something he'd been waiting to tell her. "_Someday, someone will walk into your life and make you realize why it never worked out with anyone else_."

Startled, Rachel pulled away from him, her breathing heavy and her eyes wide. "I'm sorry, what?"

Pulling Rachel back toward him, he buried his face back into her neck, kissing it as he spoke. "It's a quote I read. Someone once told me that I should start researching quotes to find one I could identify with. That was one that I liked." He continued kissing her neck, biting and soothing random places with his tongue.

Rachel said nothing, allowing her hips to speak for her as she rubbed against the hardness she could feel through his bathing suit. She wrapped her arms around his neck and head, attempting to get as close to him as possible while she kissed him with all that she had.

Finn gently flipped them over, staring down at her as her hair flowed around her, looking like a goddess. "Tomorrow night is my company's Gala. It's a big night for me." Leaning down to kiss Rachel, he leaned his forehead against hers before whispering, "I want you to come. I need my girlfriend by my side."

Rachel reached up to caress his face. "I would be honored to go as your girlfriend."

Seeing the grin that spread on Finn's face when she said those words, she brought his face down to hers, kissing him hungrily, her hands running all over his body.

Finn began kissing her neck and shoulders, letting his tongue trail her along collarbone, the taste of the salt water on her body filling his mouth.

"Finn?" Rachel struggled to get out the one syllable as Finn's mouth traveled to her earlobe, gripping it with his teeth.

"Hmm?" Finn murmured against her neck as he released her earlobe to kiss the soft skin behind her ear, allowing his hands to begin roaming her body.

Rachel reached up to caress his face. "Be gentle. I've…I've only done this once." She blushed scarlet as she admitted this to him, scared that he might change his mind.

"Rachel…" Momentarily at a loss for words, Finn simply kissed her forehead, moving onto her temple and nose, before finally settling on her lips in the tenderest of kisses. He didn't know how to tell her about all of the feelings that were swirling in his heart so he decided to show her instead. He could feel Rachel moan into his mouth, the sound coming from deep in her throat. "Hold that thought, baby."

Quickly, he stood up and threw the anchor overboard, rejoining Rachel back on the floor, slowly running his tongue along her neck as he reached for the straps of her bathing suit.

They were going to be here a while.

* * *

_**A/N: There's some quality Kurt/Rachel time coming up. Did you honestly think Kurt would let Rachel pick out a dress for a Black Tie event by herself?**_

_**I also totally agree with Kurt. There really is nothing worse than putting on a wet life jacket.**_


	14. Girl Time with Kurt

_**Disclaimer: Glee does not belong to me.**_

* * *

_**A friend will know by the sound of your voice, by the look on your face, by the way you walk, by the things you do, exactly what kind of day you're having.**_

_**-Unknown**_

* * *

**_Sunday_**

"_Finn! I know you're in there! Get away from Rachel and open the door immediately!"_

Rachel was awoken by the sound of Kurt pounding on her bedroom door. Finn wrapped his arms around her tighter mumbling, "Ignore him, he'll go away eventually."

"_Rachel! I suggest you open this door! The time is now 7:23AM. We need to make the 8:38 train to Manhattan. You have approximately one hour and fourteen minutes to get dressed, eat and say goodbye to Finn."_

Rachel started to get out of bed, only to feel two strong arms pull her back in. "I _told_ you it was a bad idea to agree to go shopping with Kurt," he whispered in her ear, "Especially since you could stay here and play with me."

"_Rachel! It's now 7:25AM!"_

"I'm up Kurt!" she called out. Turning in Finn's arms, she caressed his face lovingly. "As much as I would love to stay right here, you heard Kurt. I now have only one hour and twelve minutes to get ready. I need to get in the shower." Looking for the pajamas Finn had ripped from her body last night, she threw them on, walking over to the door.

"Well it's about time!" a fully dressed Kurt said as she opened the door. "You have approximately 15 minutes to shower before I come back up here. Until then, I'll be waiting downstairs."

Rachel watched him go, before shutting the door and turning back towards the bed, where Finn was still laying watching her, an amused smirk on his face. "Told you."

Rachel looked at him coyly, crawling on all fours onto the bed until she was on top of him. "It would be in your best interest not to say '_I told you so'_ again."

"Why's that?" Finn asked, brushing her hair out of her eyes.

"Well, it's just that I'm going to be _very_ lonely in the shower." Rachel got off the bed, walking seductively towards the bathroom as she pulled her pajama top off. "I only have 15 minutes, Finny!" she called over her shoulder, throwing the pajama top in his direction.

Grinning, Finn jumped out of bed, suddenly wide awake.

* * *

Although Finn did his best to keep her with him, Rachel was out of the shower and dressed when Kurt banged on the door exactly 15 minutes later.

"I'm ready Kurt," she said as she opened the door. She could hear Finn groan as he returned to the bed.

"Is everyone decent? I'm afraid to uncover my eyes," Kurt replied as he stepped into the room, his hands over his eyes.

"Kurt, it's fine. I'm ready to go," Rachel told him, laughing. "Finn's mad at you though."

"Good. Be downstairs and in the driveway in 10 minutes. Don't let Finn distract you anymore than he has." He laughed when Finn threw a pillow in his direction, before heading back downstairs.

Rachel climbed back onto the bed, lying on top of Finn, resting her chin on his chest. "I'm leaving now Finny. You can go back to sleep."

"I still think you should stay with me," Finn pouted as he played with her hair.

"What are you going to do all day?"

"Sleep, hang out with my mom, Burt and Blaine, pick up Vlad and then I have to get some girl for the Gala," Finn teased.

"Some girl, huh? Do I need to mark my territory?" Rachel quipped, kissing Finn's chest.

"Only if you let me mark mine." Finn quickly flipped them over, kissing and sucking on Rachel's neck.

Rachel squealed, immediately losing herself in the feeling of Finn. Both were so engrossed, that neither noticed the time.

"Rachel? What are you do-? _Ahhh_! My eyes!" Kurt cried as he walked in. His hands flew up to cover his eyes as Finn quickly removed his hands from under Rachel's dress while Rachel pushed him off of her.

"Grow up Kurt, we were just making out and saying goodbye. I don't think I need to remind you of what I've seen in your room, do I?" Finn asked in a blackmailing voice.

"Uh, yes, well, Rachel, give Finn one last kiss and _come on_," Kurt sputtered, waiting for Rachel to leave with him.

"Do I want to know?" Rachel asked Finn.

"Trust me, you don't. Have fun today, baby," Finn said as he gave Rachel one last kiss before Kurt dragged her out the door.

Lying back on the bed, Finn sighed happily.

He could _totally_ get used to this.

* * *

Despite the fact that she was standing in a dressing room at Bergdorf Goodman in nothing but a strapless bra and panties, Rachel was on Cloud Nine. Not even the fact that Kurt was parading in and out of the dressing room loaded down with dresses for her to try on, refusing to allow her even the slightest input, could put a damper on her mood.

Cherishing the moment of silence in the dressing room before Kurt came back ranting and raving, she hugged herself, happily allowing her mind to think back over the past 24 hours.

Their time spent alone on the boat had been _amazing._ Her mortification at being so inexperienced was quickly forgotten, since Finn had been incredibly tender and gentle, allowing her to set the pace. She'd lost herself in the feeling of him, becoming intoxicated on the feeling of his hands and mouth all over her body. The one time she'd slept with Jesse had been nothing like this. She remembered laying there like a stone with Jesse falling asleep immediately afterwards.

This time, she'd lain in Finn's arms as the boat rocked them gently, neither needing words to express the turn their relationship had taken.

They'd gone back to the house hand in hand, just as the rest of the family was sitting at dinner. Dinner had gone the same way as the night before, with the exception of Finn keeping his hand on Rachel's leg, rubbing it every so often.

Dinner took a slightly different turn, however, when Carole asked Finn about work and the Gala. Kurt had appeared uninterested, until he heard that Rachel was going.

"_What are you planning on wearing?" he asked Rachel immediately._

"_Um, I haven't thought about it. I think I have a black dress in my closet. If not, I'll go to Macy's tomorrow morning," Rachel replied, shrugging her shoulders._

"_Uh oh," Rachel heard Finn groan under his breath._

"_No Rachel. Just no. This is a __Black Tie__ event, not a Sweet Sixteen at the local roller rink. You need couture, not Prom. I'm a Buyer at Bergdorf Goodman. You and I will go there tomorrow and find you something spectacular," Kurt insisted, the horror evident in his eyes. "We can look online for dress styles tonight."_

"_Well, ok. It sounds like fun," Rachel said, smiling at Kurt._

"_You'll be sorry," Finn whispered in her ear. "Shopping with Kurt is like nothing you've ever experienced."_

"_I heard that Finn. You'll be thanking me when you see how hot Rachel looks."_

Rachel secretly hoped he was right. Kurt had been bringing in the most amazing dresses, rejecting all of them for various reasons, which wasn't helping her self-esteem. She needed this dress to make her hot, to prove that she was worthy of Finn.

Or maybe she wanted to prove that she was worthy of _them._

* * *

Finn rolled over and looked at the clock.

9:30. _Crap_.

He was never up this early if he could help it. He tried rolling over onto his back, but it was no use. His mind was already working in overdrive, thinking of all the things that had happened since yesterday.

They'd had sex.

Amazing sex.

He'd _totally_ found out just how flexible Rachel was.

He could barely keep his hands off of her at dinner but had had to settle for resting his hand on her leg. Several times, he'd tried to move his hand up her thigh, only to be given a warning look from Rachel. He could see his mom watching the two of them knowingly.

He'd tried to stay in his own room last night, knowing how his mom and Burt felt about Kurt and Blaine sharing a room, the same rule applying to him and a girl. He managed to last about 10 minutes, before he'd snuck down the hall and into her room.

She was already in bed, curled into a ball when he crept in. He'd simply pulled back the covers and climbed in, molding himself to her body. They'd spent all night talking in the dark in between the awesome sex.

He'd told her more about his dad, and what it had been like when Burt came into the picture.

"_It was always the two of us, you know? Then all of a sudden, she's got a new hairstyle and changing everything. All I had left as a reminder of my old life was my dad's chair, which she wanted to get rid of, and I could barely handle it. I felt like dumping the chair would be like turning her back on her old life, like it wasn't good enough to even remember." _

_Rachel ran her hand through his hair before pulling his head to her chest, stroking his hair gently, allowing him to unburden himself._

"_Then when I met Burt, and incidentally Kurt, I was really hesitant. Kurt had a much easier time than I did, since he could remember what being a real family was like and how awesome it was to have two parents. My mom was the only family unit I'd ever known, and here come these two out of the blue, ready to make a new family. Kurt and I actually went to school together, but I'd never really spoken to him. Eventually, Burt and I bonded over sports, but it took a long time for me to realize he wasn't trying to replace my dad."_

_Rachel simply held him close to her, letting him feel the support she was offering him._

Rachel. He smiled just thinking about her. To say he was jealous of Kurt getting to spend the day with Rachel was an understatement. The past two days had changed everything. _He_ wanted to be the one with her.

He was _not_ envious of Rachel shopping with Kurt, however. He glanced at his phone, noticing that it was blinking, indicating a text message. He couldn't help but laugh at the message.

**_We've only been here 10 minutes and Kurt just made a salesgirl cry. Help!_**

That was nothing. He'd once seen Kurt take out a woman who wanted the same sweater he did on Black Friday. Poor Rachel had no idea what she was in for.

Getting out of bed, he pulled on his pajama bottoms and made his way downstairs, hoping his mom was in the kitchen to make him pancakes.

Yawning, he walked into the kitchen, only to find Blaine sitting at the table, reading the paper.

"Where's my mom? Did I miss breakfast?" he asked, scratching his chest.

"She's at the grocery store but she should be back any minute. Burt's working on his car. And yes, you did miss breakfast. No doubt you were tired after all that _activity._" He smirked at Finn, waiting to see if he denied it.

"What are you talking about?" Finn asked, trying to play dumb as he took out a box of Cap'n Crunch and a bowl and sat down across from Blaine.

"It's written all over your face. Way to go man," Blaine said, giving Finn a fist bump. "She's awesome. Not to mention brave for going shopping with Kurt all day."

Finn laughed, pouring the cereal into his bowl. "I tried to warn her."

"Oh, finally you're up!" Carole exclaimed as she walked through the door, arms loaded down with groceries. Finn jumped up, taking the groceries from his mother, giving her a kiss before sitting back down to finish his cereal.

Carole sat down next to Blaine and looked at Finn. "Finn, when are you and Rachel coming back? I didn't really get a chance to talk to Rachel before Kurt dragged her out of here, but I was thinking that we should really have her dads come here or we could meet in the city. What do you think?"

"Mom, don't you think you're getting a little ahead of yourself? I've never met her fathers, who knows if I even will?" Finn asked, almost choking on his Cap'n Crunch.

Carole reached across the table and patted his hand. "Finn, trust me, you're going to meet her fathers and soon. A mother always knows."

* * *

Rachel was beginning to see what Finn meant. Kurt had brought in dozens of stunning couture dresses. He would help Rachel into each dress and parade her in front of a three way mirror, pursing his lips in thought, either immediately rejecting each dress or putting it in the 'possible' pile. So far, the rejected pile far outnumbered the 'possible' pile. All the dresses she liked were immediately rejected, since Kurt told her unless she was going to the prom, bows and tulle all over a dress was not an option.

Finn had been keeping her company by sending her a steady stream of texts. She smiled as she again thought of last night. Finn had snuck into her room, and they'd spent the night alternating between talking about everything and nothing and making love. She'd told him all about Jesse and the damage he'd done to her heart.

"_He was so handsome and popular, everything I wasn't. I was just this book nerd and I couldn't believe he wanted to date me. Looking back, I should have realized that we weren't dating, but I was so excited that I ignored the fact that he never talked to me in school, only on the phone or at home. When we were together, all he wanted to do was have sex. Eventually I gave in, and it was horrible. I remember crying on the way home, since he'd fallen asleep immediately after telling me to leave." _

_She shuddered at the memory, causing Finn to wrap his arms around her tighter. "After that, he only called when he wanted me to pick something up for him or bring him something to eat. I finally caught him making out with a cheerleader while I was on line buying his lunch. Later, in front of half the school, he asked me why I thought he would ever date me, when there were so many hotter girls." _

_A tear had escaped Rachel's eyes as she shared that last part with Finn. "I mean, I know I'm not a Supermodel, but to hear someone say it like that just tore me apart."_

_Finn, hatred for Jesse surging through his body, climbed on top of her, looking deep into her eyes. "Would you stop? You're beautiful."_

"Okay Rachel, I have a couple of options that I think will work," Kurt said, interrupting Rachel's musings as he came back into the dressing room, pulling yet another rack of couture dresses behind him.

Rachel fingered the closest dress, ready to pull it out, when her phone beeped, indicating a new text message.

"Would you tell that brother of mine that we have major work to do here and stop interrupting us?" Kurt reprimanded, taking a stunning red chiffon Valentino off the rack and holding it out to Rachel.

Rachel looked at the phone. "It's not Finn, it's my friend Tina," she announced. "Oh! She's going to the Gala with Finn's friend Mike!"

"Be careful stepping into this dress. You almost ripped the last one," Kurt commanded.

"I can't believe she's going too!" Rachel squealed, stepping into the Valentino. Furiously typing her response to Tina as Kurt zipped the dress and held out his hand for Rachel to hold as she stepped into her shoes, she waited impatiently for Tina's response.

"What do you think?" she asked Kurt, as he escorted her to the large three way mirror. She was beginning to know Kurt's facial expressions, and could tell that the way he was pursing his lips to the side meant that this dress had possibilities. She'd learned the hard way that it would be better to keep her opinions about the dresses, after earning a verbal dressing down from Kurt when she liked a dress he hated.

"I like it, but I don't _love_ it. I'm thinking we need to try a different silhouette on you."

"Kurt?"

"Yeah?" he asked as he pawed through the rolling rack.

"Do you think it went well? This weekend, I mean. Do you think Carole liked me?" Rachel bit her lip nervously, waiting for Kurt's response.

Kurt turned to look at Rachel. "Rachel. Carole _loved_ you. Trust me, I know. Anyone could see how Finn was like a different, happier person this weekend. He's always been an easy-going guy, but you just brought out a completely different side of him, and Carole loved you just for that alone."

Rachel watched in happiness, as he resumed examining the different dresses. She could hear her phone beep again, and walked over to the table to pick up her phone.

"Oh! Tina is going shopping for a dress with Mercedes! Can I tell them to come here?"

"Sure, if they dress like you, then I'll have done my good deed for like a month," Kurt called over his shoulder, examining a Versace dress.

Ignoring that remark, Rachel typed her response to Tina, listening as Kurt muttered to himself about beading and hemlines.

* * *

Tina soon arrived, Mercedes in tow. Like Rachel had earlier, both stared in awe at the private dressing room Rachel was occupying, taking in the lush surroundings, and the table with champagne and pastries.

Rachel stood on the podium in front of the three way mirror, dressed in a strapless black Versace dress that was form fitted until the knees and then flared out like a mermaid. Seeing Mercedes and Tina in the mirror's reflection, Rachel turned and jumped off the podium, ignoring Kurt's protests that he wasn't done examining her yet.

"Tina, Mercedes, this is Finn's brother Kurt. Kurt, these are my best friends Mercedes and Tina," Rachel announced, making the necessary introductions. She could see Kurt appraising each girl's outfit and waited to see what he would say.

To her surprise, Kurt said nothing, but turned to Tina. "So you're the one going with Mike? Lucky girl. Have you _seen_ his abs?" Kurt made a show of fanning himself.

Tina's blush indicated that she had indeed seen his abs.

"Rachel, that dress is amazing. It's about time you started dressing your age," Mercedes said, circling Rachel critically.

"I like this girl. Your taste in friends is much better than your taste in clothing," Kurt announced. "Let me just take Tina's measurements and get some dresses. Have some champagne, ladies."

"This place is amazing! How long have you been here?" Mercedes asked, settling down on the couch with a glass of champagne and a pastry.

"Since about 9:30. Kurt woke me up at 7:23," Rachel replied, laughing at the memory.

"Kurt woke _me_ up or woke _us_ up," Tina said slyly. "You totally have an _'I just had fantastic sex_' look on your face."

Mercedes almost spit out her champagne as Rachel's face turned a deep shade of scarlet. "She's right, you do. Spill. Now."

Quickly, before Kurt came back, Rachel filled them in on the weekend.

"Sex on a boat? Who are you and what have you done with Rachel?" Tina teased.

"Like you're one to talk, Ms. _I-have-seen-his-abs_," Rachel replied, causing all three girls to burst into giggles, just as Kurt came back into the dressing room, wheeling another rolling rack with dresses for Tina.

"What are we giggling about? Spill, unless it's about Finn, then I don't want to know," Kurt declared, earning even more giggles. "Alright, Tina, take off your clothes and then we'll put this dress on you. Rachel, you take that dress off and let's try the next one. I've never failed at finding a dress for someone, and you will _not_ be my first failure."

Obediently, each girl did as Kurt asked, Mercedes helping Tina. Tina gasped as she saw her reflection in the mirror after Mercedes helped her put on the first dress, a plum colored one shouldered Dior that Tina had personally picked out.

"Nope. Not the dress for you." Kurt decided immediately, leading Rachel over to the mirror.

Tina was too busy admiring herself in the mirror to focus on what Kurt said at first. "Wait what?"

"Don't try to fight it Tina, just go with it," Rachel whispered. "It's easier, trust me."

"Mercedes! Get that dress off of Tina before someone else sees her in it and thinks I chose it for her!"

* * *

2 hours later, Kurt had chosen a stunning cobalt colored strapless satin-waist gown by the designer Marchesa for Tina. The pleated chiffon flowed down from the satin waist and the blue color complemented her skin tone beautifully.

"This is the dress!" Kurt announced gleefully, looking as if a halo of light had appeared around Tina. "Mike isn't going to know what hit him. Now if we could only get this one settled," he continued, helping Rachel put on a pale pink Elie Saab.

"Kurt, you are a godsend!" Tina clapped her hands jumping up and down. She almost didn't want to take off the dress, it looked that amazing.

"If I'm such a godsend, why can't I find a dress for Rachel?" he asked, critically looking at the dress he had just put Rachel in. " Your body is rejecting anything that makes you look older than a five year old," he accused, unzipping the dress and putting it in the reject pile.

He turned to Mercedes and Tina. "Girls, this is Defcon 1. We can't go get manis and pedis until Rachel finds a dress. Hand me the champagne, I'm gonna need it."

Downing the champagne Mercedes handed him, Kurt headed out in search of the perfect dress for Rachel.

"So how was it?" Tina asked, as soon as Kurt left the room.

"How was what?" Rachel replied, distracted by something Finn had texted her.

"You know what I mean. _It._" Tina looked at Rachel meaningfully.

Rachel was spared from answering as Kurt came back in, holding something in his hand behind his back.

"Mercedes, Tina, a word. Rachel, go eat a pastry or something," Kurt directed, pushing Rachel towards the table. "Ladies, I think I found it, but I don't want Rachel to see it until it's on her body. It's a little sexier than she's used to, seeing as how she could be the spokesperson for The Children's Place."

"She's _always _dressed like that, despite our best efforts," Mercedes apologized, glancing at Rachel, who was the picture of contentment as she sipped her Champagne and ate a Petit Four.

Kurt snickered, making sure Rachel was out of earshot before continuing.

"Which one of you was responsible for that bathing suit, by the way?" he asked knowingly, watching as both Tina and Mercedes raised their hands. "Ah, a joint effort? It certainly got my brother's attention. The oaf couldn't even speak when he saw it. Anyway, I have this for Rachel, so she can't peek."

He pulled his hand out from behind his back dramatically, revealing a blindfold. He walked over to Rachel, grabbing the Champagne out of her hand and placing it on the table.

"Okay, Rachel, we're bringing in the next dress as a surprise. Put this on and don't cheat." Slipping the blindfold on Rachel before she could protest, Kurt walked back out of the room, only to return instantly with a dress.

Rachel felt foolish standing there in a blindfold, especially when she heard Mercedes and Tina both gasp when they saw the dress in Kurt's arms. "What? What does it look like?"

Ignoring Rachel's questions, they slipped the dress on her and stood back to admire.

It was _perfect._

"Kurt, I'm speechless. She looks like a goddess," Tina declared, as Mercedes simply stared.

Kurt nodded happily. "She really does. Finn's going to be even worse with words than usual."

"I'm speechless, Kurt, just speechless," Mercedes declared.

Rachel, still blindfolded, impatiently stamped her foot. "Am I going to the Gala blindfolded, or will I ever be allowed to see the dress?"

"Alright Rachel Berry, prepare to be amazed," Kurt announced as Tina removed the blindfold.

Rachel stared at her reflection in the mirror in wonder. Kurt had found her a vintage dress that _screamed _Rachel. Strapless, the deep purple satin was overlaid with black lace which flowed down the mermaid style gown. A black satin ribbon sash wrapped around her waist, the ends of the bow hanging down the dress while simple crystals accented the sweetheart neckline.

Rachel could do nothing but smile, imagining Finn's reaction. This dress looked like it was made for her and her alone. She felt beautiful, confident and sexy in it.

But most of all, she felt worthy of Finn in it.

* * *

Once the dresses were settled, Kurt had the personal shoppers start bringing in shoes, undergarments and evening bags, which Kurt once again took charge of.

"Kurt, I have shoes at home I can wear," Rachel protested watching as Tina held up a pair of Louboutins for Kurt to approve of.

"Rachel, how many times do we have to go through this? You are going to a _Black Tie _event. Not to mention that you'll be on the arm of my brother, which means you are representing me as well. And I do _not_ wear shoes purchased from a chain store."

"Listen to my man Kurt, Rachel," Mercedes admonished as she held up a Chanel clutch to her chest and admired herself in the mirror. "His taste is much better than yours."

"Yeah, Rachel, have a little fun," Tina added, trying on the Louboutins Kurt had approved.

"Fine, give me shoes to try on." Rachel sighed, giving in, since her best friends were apparently best friends with _Kurt_ now.

"I knew you'd see it my way. I _always_ win when it comes to shopping. Just ask Finn. He refuses to shop with me now, ever since I banned him from purchasing anything plaid in my presence," Kurt replied, holding up a pair of very high heels and handing them to Rachel.

Rachel eyed them warily, trying to estimate how high the heel of the shoe was, figuring it had to be at least 5 inches. "That heel is a little high, don't you think?"

"_Rachel._ Have you stood next to Finn lately? Do you really want to look like Sonny and Cher in reverse? You _need_ the height." Kurt declared, looking at Mercedes and Tina, who were nodding their heads in agreement.

"Fine," Rachel huffed, stalking over to a chair to try them on.

"She might be a little _too_ right for Finn. He got the same way when I made him try a pair of modern fit pinstripe pants," Kurt whispered to Mercedes.

* * *

"I got one: Seth Rogan," Tina announced, watching as the pedicurist deposited her feet in the tub to soak. "I think I'd pass."

"Hmm. I'd pass. He always looks scruffy," Kurt declared, as his pedicurist finished massaging his feet. He lowered his feet into the tub to soak and looked at Mercedes. "What about you?"

"I'd pass too." Fresh from her manicure, Mercedes settled into the seat next to Kurt, waiting for her pedicurist to begin. "Rachel?"

"I say yes." Seeing the looks of surprise on the other three, she shrugged her shoulders. "What? He's funny and he looks cuddly."

"We all know you like cuddly. I heard what was going on behind that door this morning." Kurt smirked, watching Rachel blush crimson as she was led away for her manicure.

"You should have seen her and Finn all weekend," he said, rolling his eyes at Mercedes and Tina.

"Rachel just gave us the highlights. Spill boy," Mercedes demanded.

"Well, Rachel arrived just in time to kick Finn's ass at Uno…" Kurt began, leaning in to Mercedes and Tina to dish the good gossip.

Mercedes and Tina listened intently, each well aware of the fact that what they were hearing was the exact opposite of what they'd planned for the article.

They'd never been more thrilled.

* * *

Kurt seemed to have found a heterosexual lifemate in Mercedes because the two of them became inseparable over the course of the afternoon, bonding over their shared opinion of Rachel's clothing. They became Tina and Rachel's de facto stylists at the hair salon, directing the stylists how to do each girl's hair and make-up.

Afterwards, they went back to Rachel's apartment, deciding to have more Champagne and watch _'What not to Wear'_ before getting ready together. Rachel, who suspected the choice of show was mainly for her benefit, sat on the couch between Kurt and Tina, texting Finn.

"Damn girl! Tall, dark and handsome has you glued to your phone! I've never seen anyone so excited to get a text before," Mercedes teased as she watched a huge smile appear on Rachel's face each time her phone beeped. "You'll be seeing him soon you know."

"Where is he? He better have had his tux pressed like I told him," Kurt demanded, tearing his eyes away from the TV.

"He's at Artie's watching the Knicks game," Rachel told him, watching as Kurt whipped out his phone and dialed furiously. "What are you doing?"

"I picked that tux out with him." He held the phone to his ear, waiting for a voice to come through. "Not that he was any help, he was being an ass the entire time, whining and purposely picking out horrible ties. If he didn't get it pressed, the tux won't look right. Now that I've got you respectable, I can't have him embarrassing me."

"I highly doubt he'll embarrass you, Kurt," Rachel replied, rolling her eyes when Kurt held up a finger to silence her.

"Finn! Tell me you got that tux pressed!" Kurt yelled into the phone. "…What do you mean, _'what does pressed mean?_'...Very funny…Maybe I should call up Carole and explain how you couldn't get your tux pressed because you were _'too busy'_ with Rachel….Mmm-hmm….You wouldn't dare….Fine. I'll be over in 15 minutes."

Ending the call, he looked at the girls and sighed. "_Men_."

"What was that?" Rachel asked amused.

"That was my moron of a brother blackmailing me to do things for him. I've got to go, girls and get his tux pressed. I'll be back before you two leave, but Mer, we're still on for a _Project Runway_ Marathon tonight right? Blaine's going to watch football with his brother." Seeing Mercedes nod, he quickly walked out the door.

All three girls laughed as he walked out the door. The second the door closed, Tina looked at Rachel. "We want the details Kurt didn't want to hear about Finn._ Now."_

* * *

Finn knocked on Artie's door, smiling when he heard Vlad yipping on the other side.

"Hey man," he greeted Artie as the door opened, laughing when he saw Vlad, rubber steak beside him, on his usual spot on Artie's lap. Vlad grabbed his rubber steak and stood up, his tail wagging excitedly when he saw Finn. "Vlad!"

"You got laid." Artie took one look at his face and knew.

_Was it that obvious? He seriously needed to work on his poker face._

Finn said nothing and grabbed Vlad, confirming Artie's suspicions. "More than once I'd say. How was it?"

"Good. Now go get us some beer, Sherlock," Finn said, walking over to the couch with Vlad, who was excitedly licking his face. "The Knicks game is on."

"Don't tell Uncle Artie, but good doesn't describe it. I'd say amazing would be more accurate. Mommy is _very_ flexible. Although you probably didn't want to know that about Mommy," Finn whispered to Vlad before Artie came back with the beers.

"So you think she loves you?" Artie asked as Finn stretched out on the couch, Vlad happily chewing his rubber steak next to Finn.

_Shit_. He'd completely forgotten about that stupid bet these past couple of days.

"I don't know man. We'll see tonight." Finn tried to sound nonchalant, but inside, he was terrified. What if she _didn't_ love him?

He was surprised to realize that he was terrified for reasons having nothing to do with the account.

* * *

**_A/N: S_****_hopping at Bergdorf Goodman, let alone the Personal Shopping Area, is unreal. It would totally be Kurt's heaven._**


	15. The Good of the Gala

**Disclaimer: Guess what? Glee still doesn't belong to me.**

* * *

_**You don't know what goes on in anyone's life but your own. And when you mess with one part of a person's life, you're not messing with just that part. Unfortunately, you can't be that precise and selective. When you mess with one part of a person's life, you're messing with their entire life. Everything. . . affects everything.**_

_**- Jay Asher, **__**Thirteen Reasons Why**_

* * *

**_Sunday Night_**

Finn threw his tie against the wall in frustration. He'd been standing in front of the mirror for the last 15 minutes trying to tie the damn thing. Kurt was going to _kill _him. He and Vlad had come home after the Knicks game to find his suit perfectly pressed, with a note giving step by step instructions on how to tie a tie without ruining the silk. Grabbing the instructions, he crumpled the paper and threw it against the wall alongside the tie.

This was why he normally just loosened the tie and kept it knotted, once Kurt had tied it for him. Unfortunately, Kurt had discovered all his knotted ties hanging in his closet and proceeded to lecture him for a half hour on why it ruined the tie as he untied all of them.

Screw it. He'd bring the tie to Rachel's and have Kurt tie it for him. He knew Kurt was there helping Rachel and her friend Tina. He smiled just thinking about Rachel and how hot she must look. Kurt had sworn her to secrecy, so he had no idea of what she was wearing tonight.

He glanced at Vlad, who had been watching him get ready from the comfort of Finn's bed. "Don't get too comfortable there, bud. I'm having a sleepover tonight, and you're not invited."

Giving Vlad a head rub, he grabbed the offending tie and headed out the door, ready to see just how hot Rachel looked.

* * *

"Tina! Finn texted and said the limo just picked up Mike. They'll be here in a few minutes! How do I look?" Rachel called out, near panicked. Mercedes held out her shoes to her, but Rachel shook her head. She refused to put on those five inch heels until she absolutely had to, although Kurt had made her practice walking in them.

Tina came out of the bathroom, looking gorgeous in her gown with her hair cascading in loose curls around her shoulders, Kurt trailing behind her. "Rachel calm down and put on your shoes. You look fantastic."

"Girls, let me do one last touchup before they get here because I know I'll have to fix Finn." Kurt eyed each of them critically, before giving the final stamp of approval. Bending down, he helped Rachel into her shoes, just as the doorman buzzed.

"_Ms. Berry, I have a Finn Hudson and Mike Chang here. Should I send them up?"_ Tina ran over to the intercom, giving permission, while Rachel struggled to stand in her shoes.

"I don't know Kurt; I think I might have to switch shoes. These might be too high," Rachel said worriedly. She tentatively took a few steps toward her bedroom.

Kurt sighed. "_Rachel_, I already told you. The dress is tailored to the height of those shoes. If you wear different shoes, the dress will be too long." Seeing the look on her face, he gave in. "Alright, let's go see if you have any options," he said reluctantly, giving her his hand and leading her towards her bedroom, Tina following.

Mercedes was about to join them, but hearing the knock on the door, she opened it to reveal Finn and Mike. "Hey guys, they're almost ready. Come on in."

Finn glanced around as he walked in, looking for any sign of Rachel. Beside him, he could see Mike doing the same for Tina. He could hear loud voices coming from down the hall and had a suspicion as to who they belonged to, but saw no one other than Mercedes.

"_Kurt! Those are my good black shoes! You can't throw them out!"_

"_You're not disrespecting that dress and embarrassing me by wearing Mary Janes! Those don't belong outside a Kindergarten classroom!"_

Yup. Any lingering questions Finn had as to who the loud voices belonged to were immediately eviscerated. He hesitated, unsure (and secretly unwilling) if he should go break up the battle that was raging in the bedroom.

The decision was temporarily made for him when Tina came out of the bedroom. "It's like World War III in there. Maybe you should try," she said to Mercedes, rolling her eyes. Mercedes immediately took off in the direction of the yelling.

Turning to Mike, she smiled. "How do I look?"

Taking Mike's jaw dropping silence as a good thing, she looked at Finn and announced, "We'll be in the car."

Grabbing Mike's hand, she eagerly dragged him out the door. Finn had just resumed debating whether or not he should go and interrupt the battle, when Kurt came out.

"That girlfriend of yours is way too stubborn," he announced as a way of greeting. "Fortunately, when it comes to fashion, I'm more stubborn."

_Girlfriend_. The word alone made him grin like a fool.

Doing a double take at Finn's attire, he stopped short. "_Where is your tie?"_ he hissed.

Finn sheepishly pulled the tie out of his pocket. "Uh, the instructions were too complicated?"

Yanking the tie out of his hand, Kurt began the tying the tie. "Really Finn. How many times do I have to show you? It's very easy. You just…Finn?" Kurt stopped his monologue when he realized that Finn was looking at something behind him.

Rachel had come out of her bedroom, looking gorgeous in the dress Kurt had picked out. Her hair was piled on her head, with two tendrils framing her face. Her make-up was simple, highlighting her wide brown eyes.

Pushing Kurt out of the way, he walked over to where Rachel was standing. Unable to say anything, he simply grabbed Rachel and kissed her, dipping her backwards. "You look amazing," he told her as he straightened them back up. "And... really tall?"

Rachel, still in shock from his greeting, stared at him, her face flushed. Lifting her dress, she revealed her five inch heels and rolled her eyes. "Kurt says I'm not allowed to stand next to you unless I'm wearing these insane shoes."

Finn looked down at the shoes. Pulling her close to him, he wrapped his arms around her waist. "I'm not sure I like it. It takes away from your Rachelness."

"Ahem." Kurt pushed himself in between Finn and Rachel. "Rachel, you're keeping the shoes on, go fix your lipstick. Finn, I need to finish your tie. Wait till after the Gala to paw at each other."

He pushed Finn backwards so he could finish the tie, while Finn stared at Rachel. "There. I just need to do one more thing." Taking out his iPhone, he looked at Finn, who had moved towards Rachel. "Carole wants me to send her a picture, so get together."

Obediently, Finn and Rachel wrapped their arms around each other and posed as Kurt snapped the picture.

Feeling like a proud parent, Kurt pushed them out the door, ready to round up Mercedes and have a well earned drink.

* * *

Puck was _bored_.

He hated when his family had to attend these stupid parties. Just because his uncle was like some bigwig in the diamond business, he insisted that his entire family attend the events, which in turn meant that Puck's mother insisted that _he _attend. Running a hand through his badass Mohawk (which he _knew_ pissed off his mom and uncle) he grabbed a glass of champagne from the nearest waiter, grimacing. Why couldn't they walk around with beer instead?

The only good thing about having to attend these parties was the women. Tonight's party was at The Plaza, and he'd done well with the ladies here in the past. The women at these types of parties were all successful Go Getters, who lapped up his _'I got kicked out of college'_ story and bad boy persona.

He smirked to himself. He'd have to check to make sure his usual coat room was available.

Like a lion stalking its prey, he scanned the room looking for tonight's score. He saw a couple of options, as well as several Cougars he wouldn't mind showing his coat room to, but none that would really make this night worth his time.

His eyes fell on the doorway just in time to see a stunning blonde enter the Grand Ballroom, alongside an exotic looking Latina.

_Bingo._

Grabbing two more glasses of champagne, he headed in their direction.

This party suddenly just got _a lot_ more interesting.

* * *

Rachel stared in awe as Finn escorted her into the Grand Ballroom. She'd never been to The Plaza before, a fact which was made glaringly obvious when her jaw dropped open when she took in her surroundings.

Tiny lights were draped from the ceiling, designed to reflect the many chandeliers in the room, giving the room a sparkly feel, much like a diamond. Tall floral centerpieces graced each table, Swarovski crystals hanging down from the centerpieces, adding to the overall romantic atmosphere of the room.

"Here we go. Table 4," Mike announced, grabbing his table card and Finn's. He took Tina's hand, escorting her over to the table, Finn and Rachel following.

Finn was relieved to see that Quinn and Santana were not seated at their table. He could see Will sitting at a table nearby, but Santana and Quinn was nowhere to be seen. Introducing Rachel to the other occupants of the table, he looked around before turning to Rachel.

"I'm going to get us some drinks. I'll be right back." Giving Rachel a quick kiss, he headed off in search of drinks.

Rachel watched his retreating figure adoringly, unaware that several different people were watching _her_.

* * *

Allie had watched enviously from her table in the corner as Finn walked in with _her._

It should be her Finn has his arm around, not Rachel. _She's_ the one who has spent the last three years utterly devoted to him. _She's_ the one who should be receiving flowers from Finn and riding on the back of his motorcycle.

She just _knew _he would have eventually asked her out before that _thing_ came into his life. Which was why Allie was more than willing to go along with Santana's plans when she'd confronted Allie last week.

"_Could you be more obvious?" Santana hissed in her ear, as she'd stared longingly at Finn, who was bending over looking through a filing cabinet._

"_What...what are you talking about? Why are you even talking to me?" Allie stammered. Santana had never talked to her before, Allie didn't even think Santana knew her name._

"_I mean the fact that you have a thing for Finnocence over there," Santana stated in an almost bored tone as she examined her nails. "I'm talking to you because I like you and want to help you, even if you have horrible taste in men," she added, lying through her teeth._

"_Do you think he knows?" Allie asked in horror._

"_The whole office knows, except for Finnegan and his even stupider colleagues." Santana continued examining her nails before wiping an imaginary speck off of her immaculate blazer. "Fortunately for you, I'm in a position to help you."_

"_How's that?" Her gaze shifted from Santana back to Finn, who was now busy texting someone on his phone._

"_I've seen the way he looks at you. Think about it. Finnegan is trying to win the Puckerman account. If he wins that account, he'll be so busy, he'll __**never**__ have time to go to those little softball games he loves so much, let alone date you. If we can get rid of the Hobbit, he'll be free to date you and I'll gladly take the account off his hands if it will help the two of you get together."_

"_Really? He looks at me?" Allie was beyond thrilled. She **knew** those highlights she'd gotten would get his attention._

"_Quinn and I have both noticed him staring. We were just talking about what a great couple you and Finn would make," Santana fibbed. __Allie looked as if she was about to float away. _

_Santana couldn't believe it. This girl was even stupider than Finn, Mike and Artie put together. This was going to be too easy. _

"_Here's what you need to do…."_

The problem was that none of Santana's schemes had worked. She'd told Allie to show up at the Karaoke Bar. Allie had said exactly what Santana had instructed her to say, and although she had seen Rachel pale and become upset, she hadn't dumped him. Nor did she have much of a reaction when Santana showed up at the softball game.

Which was why they'd up the ante with the photos.

Allie glanced at the envelope labeled "_Rachel_" sitting next to her plate, ready for delivery. She glanced back at Finn, who was leaning in close to Rachel, giving her a kiss.

Downing her champagne, she went off in search of Santana, ready to find out when Rachel should see those pictures.

* * *

"Have I told you that that dress is amazing?"

Rachel smiled as the words were whispered in her ear. Feeling Finn's arm wrap around her waist from behind, she took the champagne he offered with his other hand. "Is it?"

"Mmm-hmm. And it would look even more amazing next to my bed tomorrow morning." Rachel burst out laughing as Finn whispered Jacob's lame pickup line before kissing her cheek.

"I think you might be right about that," Rachel whispered seductively in his ear. Kurt might be onto something with these shoes. She'd never have been able to whisper in Finn's ear while standing if she was at her normal height.

Placing her champagne on the table, she looked at him coyly. "Aren't you going to ask me to dance Mr. Hudson?"

"Are you sure you want to dance with me? I have the rhythm of a baboon, remember?" he teased, leading her out onto the dance floor.

"I think I'll take my chances." Rachel smiled, resting her head against his shoulder as they swayed back and forth.

Yeah, she'd definitely have to thank Kurt later.

* * *

"Champagne, Ladies?" Puck offered. "Or can I offer you something better, like a Puck?"

"A _Puck_? What's a _Puck_?" Quinn asked, her eyes narrowing.

"I'm a Puck. And I'm _very_ pleased to meet you," Puck smoothly announced, grabbing Quinn's hand and kissing the back of it.

In spite of herself, Quinn smiled. "Quinn Fabray."

Turning to the other girl who had been watching this exchange with interest, Puck kissed her hand also. Like Quinn, she smiled. "Santana Lopez. Can you do us a favor Puck?" she asked coquettishly.

"Anything for the two hottest chicks in the room," he replied easily as he slipped an arm around both their waists.

"Well, it's just that we've never been champagne kind of girls. We've always had more fun with Vodka, if you know what I mean," Santana told him, running a finger down his chest. "Could you get us something with Vodka in it?"

_Oh yeah, the Coat Room was definitely going to see some action tonight. _

"Wait right here, ladies, the Puckerone will be right back and then the fun will begin." He scurried away in the direction of the bar.

"_Do you know who that is_?" Santana hissed to Quinn as soon as he was out of earshot.

"He said his name was Puck," Quinn replied, shrugging.

"Exactly. Puck, as in _Puckerman_. He's in the family and therefore could have influence with Old Aaron Puckerman. He seemed to be interested in you. I'll take care of Finn, and you do whatever you have to do to get in good with Puck."

"Ladies, do you see what I see?" Mike interrupted, coming over with Artie, who gleefully pointed out Finn and Rachel dancing very close together on the dance floor.

"Ugh, don't be stupid. There's no way she could be in love with him. It's _Finn._ He's about as sexy as a Cabbage Patch Kid and has the mentality of one too," Santana replied scornfully.

"Don't underestimate my man Finn. He always makes good on a bet," Artie predicted. He looked at the dance floor once again. If possible, Finn and Rachel seemed to be dancing even closer together.

"This isn't like the time you two idiots bet him that he couldn't eat a whole sheet cake at the Christmas Party. This is the big time and he's out of his league. Finn wouldn't know what to do with a woman if she spelled it out for him," Quinn retorted, smirking.

Seeing Puck coming her way, Quinn looked back at Mike and Artie. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have better people to talk to."

Heading over to Puck, she took the drink he offered. Holding it up to her lips, she looked over the rim of the glass flirtatiously. She could see his eyes widen in appreciation as she licked her lips, putting the glass down on the nearest table.

"Why haven't you asked me to dance yet, Puck?" she questioned, tossing her hair over her shoulder. Running her hand down his arm, she grabbed his hand in hers, and dragged him on the dance floor before he had time to say anything.

"The kind of dancing I like to do isn't the vertical kind. I'm a big fan of the Horizontal Mambo," Puck whispered seductively in her ear as he pulled her close.

Knowing he wouldn't see if she leaned on his shoulder, Quinn rolled her eyes. She could see Finn and Rachel dancing nearby, and she had to admit, if body language was anything to go by, those two were _seriously_ into each other.

Not that she'd ever admit that out loud.

Picking her head up, she looked at Puck. "Horizontal Mambo? You'll have to teach it to me," she replied enticingly, licking her lips. She watched as Puck's eyes dilated at the thought.

"Not a problem babe. That's what Puckasaurus does best."

* * *

Although Will had spent much of the night schmoozing clientele, he'd kept one eye on Finn and Rachel. Judging by what he'd seen so far, it looked like Finn may have held up his end of the bet and made Rachel fall in love with him. He hadn't had a chance yet to speak to Rachel to confirm it though. Every time he tried to get to Rachel, someone grabbed him to have a conversation.

Watching Finn and Rachel head over to their table, he headed in that direction, but was waylaid once again, this time by Mike.

"Hey Will, this is Tina. Tina this is my boss Will," Mike introduced, as Tina smiled in Will's direction.

"Nice to meet you Tina, but if you'll excuse me, there's a question only the woman with Finn can answer," Will greeted Tina before scurrying off in Finn's direction only to be stopped by someone else.

"There's a question only the woman with Finn can answer? What does he mean by that? Why Rachel?" Tina looked at Mike in confusion.

"Uh, I have no idea. Let's go dance." Grabbing Tina, he pulled her out on the dance floor.

Encased his arms, Tina forgot about what Will said.

For now.

* * *

"You promised! You promised she'd be gone, but she's _still_ with him!" Allie cried, pointing to Rachel, who was back at the table laughing at something Artie said, Finn's arm resting easily on the back of her chair.

She'd spent hours on her outfit today. _Hours._ Not to mention, a good portion of her paycheck.

What had it gotten her? A "_Hey Allie_" from Finn as he walked past with Rachel, their hands entwined.

"Seriously, you need to relax. This is _Finn_ we're talking about, not Brad Pitt." Santana rolled her eyes, starting to get annoyed with Allie.

This was why she sabotaged alone most of the time.

"When are we going to show the pictures? When?" Allie demanded, waving the envelope in the air.

"_Are you insane?_ Put that away before someone sees it," Santana hissed, pulling Allie behind a potted plant. "Now listen to me. You will do _nothing_, until I tell you. Got it? We need to wait until the right moment."

"But…" Allie protested, jealousy surging through her as she watched Finn whisper something in Rachel's ear, causing Rachel to blush.

"But nothing. You can either wait till I tell you or else you can watch from the sidelines as Rachel takes what's rightfully yours. What are you going to do?" Santana asked, playing to her weakness.

"Alright. I'll wait. But it better be soon." Allie sighed. "That girl does not deserve him."

Santana rolled her eyes. "I wouldn't wish Finn on any girl."

* * *

Puck's night was _not_ going the way he wanted. Ordinarily, he'd be in the coat room, getting redressed, but this time he was biding his time, waiting for the right moment to get Quinn in the coat room. He'd kept her supplied with a steady stream of alcohol, ready to make this a real party.

The problem was, the more Quinn drank, the more she wanted to dance. She'd dragged Puck out on the dance floor more times than he cared to admit, a fact that hadn't gone unnoticed by his mom, who'd immediately come over and introduced herself to Quinn. The two of them proceeded to have a lively conversation about Puck, effectively ruining the badass image he had going.

He sighed as Quinn once again dragged him on the dance floor. Now more than a little tipsy, Quinn staggered a little, knocking into a woman nearby.

"Scuse me!" Quinn called out laughing, as Puck held her steady. "You made me do that!" she accused him. He turned his attention to the woman, wanting to apologize.

"Sorry," he apologized, looking at the woman for the first time. Doing a double take, he stared hard at the woman. "Berry? Is that you?"

Rachel looked surprised. "Noah! How many months has it been?"

"Damn Berry! The fuck happened to you? Who knew you were so hot under those animal sweaters?" Puck asked, his eyes scanning Rachel up and down. "When did you get a rack?"

"Noah? Your name's _Noah?_ You _told _me it was Puck!" Quinn angrily accused, hiccupping slightly as she jabbed a finger into Puck's chest.

"Only Berry calls me Noah, no matter how many times I've told her not to," Puck responded fixing Rachel with a mock glare. Holding out his hand to Finn, he announced, "I'm Puck. Berry and I go way back."

"I'm Finn," he replied, smiling, but inwardly unsure of what the relationship between Puck and Rachel was. She'd certainly never mentioned him.

"When I was in college, I worked in a jewelry store. Noah worked there too, although I use the word work liberally," Rachel explained, smiling as she watched Finn shake Puck's hand. "Noah, Finn's my boyfriend," she proudly announced.

"No shit? You're dating someone?" Turning to Finn, he added, "You must be special, man. I tried to get in Berry's pants for like, ever, and she wouldn't even consider it."

"That's because you have no idea what the words romantic and relationship mean, Noah," Rachel replied, rolling her eyes as she wrapped her arms around Finn and stared up at him adoringly. For his part, Finn simply pulled her closer to him and stared down at her, smiling.

"Puck! I thought you were trying to get in my pants! Why are you checking out her rack?" Quinn cried out, earning the glare of several nearby people. Spotting a passing waiter, she grabbed a glass of champagne off the tray and drank it in one gulp.

Finn watched amused. He'd never seen Quinn like this. He couldn't _wait_ to bring this up at work.

"It's all cool. Rachel became like a sister to me. She's her own brand of badass, the crazy kind," he assured Quinn, grabbing her arm as she swayed unsteadily. Quinn promptly entwined her arm through Puck's, who took that as a sign that Quinn was ready for the coat room. "I'm gonna get her to sit somewhere. Catch your act later, Berry."

Leading Quinn away, he called out to Finn. "Good luck, man."

"If I know Noah, and I do, his idea of getting Quinn to sit somewhere is a closet where they can make out. He used the store room at the jewelry store all the time for that," Rachel told Finn as he pulled her close and resumed dancing again.

"Good. Maybe she'll loosen up and won't be such a frigid bitch anymore," Finn looked down at her. "So you never gave Puck the time of day?"

"Jealous?" Amused, Rachel looked up at his face. She stopped dancing to pull his face down to hers. "Just like you promised me that you and Santana never dated, I promise you that we never dated, although we kissed once on a dare."

She leaned close to his ear. "For the record, you're a much better kisser."

Finn smirked. "Is that so?" He leaned down to kiss Rachel's lips. "How was that?"

Laughing, Rachel looked up at him. "Like I said; no contest."

"Can I cut in?"

Rachel turned her head at the question, recognizing the man from Finn's softball team.

Will smiled at the two of them. He'd _finally_ managed to get to Rachel uninterrupted, and wasn't about to let them get away again.

"Of course. Rachel, this is Will Schuester, my boss," Finn announced, glancing uneasily at Will. He knew why Will was asking to dance.

This was the moment of truth. In a few minutes, he'd know if Rachel loved him or not.

A small voice in the back of his head reminded him that he'd also find out if he won the account, but at the moment, he could care less.

He walked to the side of the dance floor, his trepidation growing with every step.

There was only one question he wanted answered, and it wasn't whether or not he won the account.

* * *

"So you're the one who's been seeing Finn. I understand that you inspired Finn to create that fantastic slogan," Will stated, as he and Rachel began swaying to the music.

"I don't know about that, we were just talking and it popped into his head," Rachel replied, looking over to where Finn was standing on the edge of the dance floor, talking with Artie. She could tell he was worried about something, just based on the turn of his mouth and the way he kept adjusting his tie. Mentally, she ran through the night, trying to determine what could have possibly upset him.

"Nonsense. I think you inspired Finn more than you know, just as I'm sure he inspired you. People in love tend to do that to each other, you know," Will said, looking down to gauge her reaction to his words.

"What? I don't…I mean, I can't…I….It's not possible…I….what?" Rachel was drawn out of her thoughts at Will's statement.

_People in love tend to do that, you know._

It hit Rachel like a ton of bricks. She loved Finn. She was utterly, completely, 100% in love with Finn. Somehow in the middle of trying to get Finn to _dump _her, she'd fallen in love. She knew she harbored a large crush on him, but until Will had stated it so matter of factly, she didn't realize the extent of her feelings.

"_You know it's love when the tiny details about another person... the ones that seem insignificant to most people seem incredible and magnificent to you." _

The quote popped into her head with the realization of her love. Rachel had stumbled across that quote once and up until this moment had never fully appreciated it. She loved the fact that Finn played with his tie when he was nervous and the fact that he could barely dance but was willing to do it to make her happy. She loved how he had what he called "word vomit" when he got particularly nervous or how he often wondered what his life would be like if his father was alive. She found his bickering with Kurt adorable and even thought the small crease that appeared on his forehead when he slept cute.

Oh, yeah. She'd somehow fallen in love.

Looking back at Will, she was unable to speak, her mouth forming a small O.

Will simply smiled at her.

* * *

"Dude, go over there and cut in," Finn begged Mike who'd wandered over to Finn and Artie. "I would totally do it for you if Will was dancing with Tina."

"Fine. You're lucky Tina's on the phone," Mike told him before heading out onto the dance floor and interrupting Will and Rachel.

Finn watched nervously as he saw Will head in his direction.

"Finn, I have to say I had my doubts, but congratulations! She most definitely is in love with you. The account is yours," Will announced, shaking Finn's hand.

Finn simply stared at Will in shock, his words replaying over and over in his mind.

_She is most definitely in love with you._

She _loved_ him.

Still in shock, he headed over to Mike and Rachel, ready to reclaim his position by her side.

* * *

Puck pushed Quinn up against the wall of the coat room allowing her to wrap her legs around his waist. Eagerly, he began kissing her neck, biting and soothing areas with his tongue. His hands began roaming her body, as Quinn began untying his tie. Shrugging off his jacket, his hands resumed their roaming.

"Isn't this so much better than the party?" he asked, as he placed hot kisses along her jaw.

"Mmm. I'm supposed to be entertaining you. Aren't I doing a good job?" Quinn mumbled as she unbuttoned his shirt.

Figuring it was the alcohol talking, Puck played along, continuing his ministrations on her jaw. "You're doing an awesome job babe."

"Good. Go tell Santana that I'm doing my job. Her job is that she's supposed to be breaking up Finn and Rachel tonight, so we win." Quinn, intent on pulling his shirt off, didn't notice that Puck had tensed up.

"Whoa, what do you mean?" he demanded, unwrapping Quinn's legs and letting her slide to the floor. Quinn slumped all the way to the floor, Puck sitting next to her impatiently

"Rachel is writing an article where she has to get dumped. Dumped! That's a funny word! Dumped!" Quinn laughed hysterically each time she said the word dumped.

"Yeah, it is. Go on," Puck agreed, poking her to get her back on track.

"Will gave your uncle's account to me and Santana, but Finn wanted the chance to be able to try to land the account. Santana saw Rachel at the bar….let's make out!" Quinn squealed, attempting to sit in Puck's lap. "Why don't you want to make out?" she demanded, slapping his face lightly when Puck pulled her face from his neck. He could see she was an angry drunk, and he really needed her to finish the story.

"Maybe later. How about you finish the story first?" Puck settled Quinn in his lap before prompting her. "So Santana saw Rachel at the bar?"

"How did you know that? Are you psychic? Because that's what happened! She saw Rachel at the bar and got Will to make the rule that Finn couldn't have the account unless he could get a girl to fall in love with him by tonight and she chose Rachel, knowing that Rachel had to write the article. Isn't that hysterical? Why don't you think that's hysterical? You're not laughing. You should be laughing. Why aren't you laughing?" she angrily demanded.

"It's a riot," Puck said, seething. He was _so_ going all Braveheart on Finn.

Berry may be all kinds of crazy for not wanting to date him, but he really did feel she was like a sister to him, even if they hadn't seen each other in a while.

She'd totally saved his ass more than once. His uncle was particularly fond of making spontaneous visits to his stores, and more often than not, Rachel had had to cover for him while he was getting it on with a girl in the back. Although Rachel had been disgusted, she'd never ratted him out to anyone, choosing instead to lecture him for hours about practicing safe sex. He was pretty sure all her information came from books, since he'd never seen her date anyone.

"Want to know a secret?" Quinn whispered in his ear.

"What?" Puck was done with her. He was ready to get out there and find Rachel.

"Each of them was lying to the other one, but they really did fall in love with each other. It's so obvious. I've been watching them all night. You can see it in the way they look at each other. They make each other so happy, even with Santana and Allie interfering all week and trying to break them up. Don't you think so?" she demanded, as she laid across his lap, her head using his discarded tuxedo jacket as a pillow.

Puck leaned his head back against the wall and thought back to when he met Finn. He could tell that Rachel adored him, but thinking about it now, he knew he wasn't mistaken when he saw the same look on Finn's face as he'd watched her talk to Puck. As he'd escorted Quinn off the dance floor, he'd glanced back and watched Finn and Rachel for a moment. That same adoring look graced both their faces when they thought the other wasn't looking.

Even in her drunken state, Quinn was right. They really were in love with each other.

Which left Puck in a dilemma. To pound or not to pound?

Looking down at Quinn, who had fallen asleep in his lap, he made his decision. He'd wait this out and see what happened. The first sign of Berry upset though, and he was letting his 'guns' loose on Finn.

Berry had rejected him time and again, but still covered for him, which made her sort of badass.

And Badasses need to stick together.

* * *

_**A/N: And there you have it...the good of the Gala before shit hits the fan. Special Thanks to SciFiMom2000 for backing me out of the corner Puck had written me into!**_


	16. And the Bad of the Gala

_**Disclaimer: Glee is still not owned by me.**_

* * *

**_Why is it when you do something terrific, nine times out of 10 you're all alone, but when you screw up really big, the whole world is watching?_**

_**-Mr. Destiny**_

* * *

**_Sunday Night Continued…_**

Santana was fuming.

That little Hobbit had barely left Finn's side all night, which only added to the illusion that she was in love with Finn. Right now, they were standing near the bar, talking to that loser from Design who's obsessed with Avatar. Rachel's left hand was behind her back and her fingers were intertwined with Finn's right hand as his right arm rested around her waist. Rachel was laughing at something the Design Loser said, managing to stare at Finn adoringly at the same time.

It was sickening.

At this rate, Will was totally going to believe the act and give Finn the Puckerman account. Which would mean Santana would lose and Santana Lopez does _not_ lose.

Just ask that jerk in high school who'd cheated on her. She'd gotten her revenge by purposely kissing a boy with Mono and then kissing her ex-boyfriend, who in turn gave it to the girl he'd cheated on Santana with. She smirked at the memory. That had been one of her finer sabotage moments.

Clearly she was going to have to handle this herself. Quinn was nowhere to be seen, and hadn't been in a quite a while. Allie had been hovering around her, alternating between nagging Santana and giving a running commentary on Finn's every movement while blatantly insulting Rachel. That part Santana didn't mind, throwing an insult or two of her own in, but her incessant nagging about the pictures was pushing Santana to her boiling point.

"I mean seriously? Look at the size of her nose! Has she never heard of a nose job?" Allie leered, shooting death glares in Rachel's direction. Allie pinched her own nose, feeling it was far superior to Rachel's. Allie felt Finn's nose was perfect, so when she and Finn had their children (2 boys and a girl), the odds were good that their children will have a nice nose.

Santana closed her eyes, putting her fingers to her temples. This was why she made it a point never to talk to people below her professionally.

Allie, however, was beyond thrilled to finally be able to share her obsession of all things Finn with someone, and remained oblivious to Santana's increasing annoyance. "Oh! Finn just looked this way while he was laughing! Did you ever notice that he has a dimple only on the left side of his face when he laughs? I bet _she's_ never noticed that. Who do you think made him laugh? Sam or her? I think Sam, because she doesn't look like she has a sense of humor. Ugh, she just kissed him. What kind of kisser do you think he is? I just _know_ he's a good one."

Santana couldn't take much more of this. Just as she was about to snap at Allie and make a nasty comment about Finn's kissing skills, she saw Will heading towards her.

"Santana, there you are. I'm sorry to tell you this, but Finn has upheld his end of the bargain and will be managing the Puckerman Account," Will slowly announced, waiting for the explosion he was sure was coming.

"_Excuse me?_" Santana sneered. Clearly, she must have heard wrong. There was _no way_ she'd been bested by Finn of all people. She stared at Will uncomprehendingly.

"Finn has won, Santana, that girl is clearly in love with him." Will shifted from foot to foot, looking for any excuse to get away from Santana.

"_Excuse me?"_ Santana repeated, increasing in volume. "There's just _no way_ that girl is in love with him. _No way._"

"I'm sorry Santana, but she is. Let Q know, will you? I can't seem to find her anywhere." With that, Will hastily retreated towards the safety of the bar, before Santana could truly explode.

Santana watched him go, venom running through her veins. Turning to Allie, who had begun a debate with herself about just how soft Finn's lips would be, she held up a hand to shut her up.

"Ok, Freakshow, this is what we're going to do…"

* * *

Leaving Quinn sleeping in the Coat Room, Puck came strolling out to begin his Berry Watch. He spotted Rachel and Finn sitting at their table, deep in conversation. Their heads were insanely close together, Finn's arm resting on the back of her chair while Rachel's were resting on his leg.

Naturally, Puck felt the need to go over and interrupt.

"S'up Berry?" he asked, pulling a chair between them and straddling it as he gave a head nod. "Finn."

"_Noah. _Finn and I were just engaging in a _private_ conversation," Rachel admonished as she pulled away from Finn.

"It's cool. Puckzilla won't tell what we're talking about," Puck responded, ignoring Rachel's tone and directing his next comment at Finn. "You get to see what Berry's been hiding under the animal sweaters yet?"

"_Noah!"_ Rachel exclaimed, horrified. Finn just laughed watching the dialogue between the two.

"The fuck you so embarrassed about? I always told you the details when I scored."

"Yes, and as I told you back then, what you do in the bedroom, or the storeroom in your case, is your own business, just like what I do in private is my own business."

"So you two _are_ bumping uglies." Looking at Finn, he jerked his thumb in Rachel's direction. "She a screamer? I always thought she'd be fucking loud in the sack."

"_NOAH!_ I am going to go to the bathroom now, and when I come back, you two had better be talking about something more suitable for the table!" Rachel huffed, standing up and grabbing Tina before stalking off towards the bathrooms.

Puck smirked. He _knew_ that would get her to leave. Now he could talk to Finn and make sure he wasn't jerking Rachel around.

"So you and Berry exclusive?"

"We've been only been together for a week and a half, but we've been together every day. I can't speak for her, but I know I don't want to see anyone else," Finn looked down at his beer bottle, embarrassed.

"Seriously? A fucking week and a half and you two are looking at each other like you're Stage 5?"

"Huh? What's Stage 5?" Finn looked up from his examination of his beer bottle, confused.

"You mean Berry hasn't hit you with that fucking Stages of Love quote shit?" Seeing Finn's confusion, he elaborated. "Every time I was done knocking boots in the store room, Berry would fucking lecture me about practicing safe sex and romance. One time she whipped out this article about the Five Stages of Love, reciting them over and over again until I had it seared in my brain."

Doing his best Rachel impression, he continued. "_Noah! It's Attraction, Intimacy (that means __feelings,__ Noah!), Romance, Passion, and Commitment! Repeat after me!"_

Seeing Finn laugh, he shook his head. "Berry never understood that you can't tie the Puckmeister down. I need sex like Berry needs her fucking animal sweaters. She never got how I operate. Puckzilla is strictly Stage 1 Attraction and Stage 4 Passion. I don't do that fucking talking about feelings and romance shit in between, and I sure as hell don't do fucking _Commitment_."

"So Stage 5 is just commitment?" Finn asked, avoiding looking at Puck. He could just picture Rachel lecturing Puck about this constantly.

"It's more than that. Berry always said when you get to Stage 5; you've found your soul mate." Channeling his inner Rachel once again, he mimicked, "Because '_Stage 5 encompasses all the other stages, Noah'_. Judging from the way you two have been eye fucking each other all night, I'd say you're head over heels in love, like where you know all the annoying shit about the other and it still doesn't make you run. I'd offer you my Coat Room to use, but Quinn is currently sleeping it off in there."

Finn snapped his head up to look at Puck, opening and closing his mouth several times in shock.

_In love?_

He wasn't…

He couldn't be…

He so was.

Finn stared at Puck, who raised his eyebrows knowingly. "Fucking sucks doesn't it? S'why Puckzilla keeps a turnstile next to his bed. No chick makes me _feel."_

Finn continued staring at Puck, his mind spinning, a grin forming on his face.

How had he not realized this before? He was _totally_ in love with Rachel. He loved everything about her, from her blinding smile to her obsession with quotes, her love of British TV, her determination and even her stubbornness.

Except _maybe_ her calling him _Finny-Bear_.

Hell, who was he kidding? She could call him Finny-Bear all she wanted if it made her happy.

Puck had begun studying Finn's face carefully as soon as he'd mentioned being head over heels in love. He watched as the realization hit Finn, knowing the exact moment he realized he truly was in love with Rachel just based on his facial expressions. He knew now that while Finn might have started out with the just the intention of getting his uncle's account, over the course of the 10 days it had come to mean so much more than an account. Somehow, the real prize became _Rachel._

Now satisfied that Berry wasn't getting the run around, Puck was free to begin a Bromance with Finn. "You're not a fucking Yankees fan are you?"

"No way Man, Ray and I even went to Game 1."

"No shit? My uncle has a luxury suite, we can all go to Game 7 if there is one."

"That would be _awesome._ Ray's going to flip._"_

Seeing Rachel making her way back to the table with Tina, Puck quickly looked at Finn.

"So dude, seriously, she a screamer?"

"Oh _yeah_."

* * *

"So you think you love him?" Tina asked as they came out of the bathroom.

"Not think Tina, _know,_" Rachel replied, stopping in place and whirling around to look at Tina. "I'm telling you, you could have knocked me over with a feather when Will said it, but I realized it's true. I absolutely love everything about him, even the fact that he snores like a freight train."

"You sound like Mercedes, and you know how that always ends," Tina said, more than a little worried. Rachel looked as if she was about to float away on a cloud of happiness.

"I'm telling you this is different," Rachel insisted stubbornly. "Just don't tell Mike, I don't know how Finn feels yet."

"Alright, if you say so, just don't do anything Mercedes would do, okay?" Tina pleaded, putting her arm around Rachel's shoulder.

Laughing, they resumed walking back towards the table.

"Rachel!"

At the sound of Rachel's name, both Tina and Rachel turned around to see Allie jumping up from her seat.

"Hello Allie, how are you?" Rachel asked in a fake cheery voice. Allie didn't seem to pick up on it, but Tina did.

"I'm fine. You look _so _beautiful, but I'm sure Finn's already told you that. He looks so handsome; Santana and I were _just_ talking about how incredible he looks in his tux. I've barely gotten to talk to Finn, where is he?" Allie gushed, pretending to look around for Finn, as if she didn't know where he was, when in reality she'd barely taken her eyes off of him all night.

"Finn's back at the table. Allie, this is my friend Tina. Tina, this is _Allie,_" Rachel said, placing emphasis on Allie's name, hoping Tina remembered what Rachel had told her about Allie.

"Nice to meet you Allie," Tina said, picking up on Rachel's hint. Allie shook her hand, but was looking past Tina towards their table, where Finn sat, drinking beer with Puck. Tina turned slightly to see what she was staring at, quickly turning back and immediately giving Rachel a meaningful stare.

"Well, it was great seeing you, but we've got to get back to Finn and Mike," Rachel announced, slightly confused by Tina's actions.

"Ok, tell Finn I'll stop by your table to see him soon. He just looks _so_ handsome." Allie broke her gaze away from Finn to look at Tina and Rachel, before going back to her seat to continue her adoration of Finn from afar.

"What was that? Why were you staring at me?" Rachel demanded as soon as they were far enough away.

"_Rachel._ Don't you get it?" Tina questioned, raising her eyebrow.

"Get what?" Rachel mentally went through the conversation, trying to see what Tina meant.

"It's so obvious. Allie _wants_ Finn. That's why she told you that stuff. She's got the hots for your man."

"You really think so? How do you know?" Rachel asked doubtfully.

"She mentioned how handsome Finn looks in his tux like three times. Not to mention that while she was shaking my hand, she was staring over my shoulder at Finn. She couldn't take her eyes off of him. You really didn't notice?" Tina explained patiently.

"Finn is talking to Noah. How do you know she wasn't looking at him?" Rachel questioned. "Besides, Finn really does look handsome in his suit. It's common knowledge."

"Rachel trust me. You're number one on Allie's list of people she'd like to get rid of," Tina said, laughing as she led Rachel back to their table.

* * *

"I'm back! I trust you gentlemen have found something better to talk about?" Rachel asked, as she slid into her seat.

"While you were dropping a deuce Berry, Finn and I were making plans to go to Game 7 since my uncle has a suite. You in?" Puck asked.

Rachel squealed so loudly she earned the attention of people nearby and hugged Puck tightly.

Releasing him, she stood up and jumped into Finn's lap, grabbing his face in a kiss before wrapping her arms around his neck. "Finny! Game 7!"

"I know baby, it's awesome! I knew you'd flip when you heard." Finn slipped one of his hands around her waist, rubbing her leg with the other.

"Burt's going to be so excited and jealous when he hears!" Rachel announced happily, squeezing her face against Finn's.

"Who's Burt?" Puck asked curiously.

"Burt is Finn's step-father. He's a big Mets fan too," Rachel explained from her perch on Finn's lap.

"So tell him to come. Those suites hold like fucking 30 people. My uncle never uses it, he hates baseball. He just bought it to use for clients or some shit like that," Puck responded, shrugging. "I use it all the time to bang chicks at the game."

"You serious? He might have another heart attack when he hears," Finn asked. When Puck nodded, he whipped out his cell phone to tell Burt the good news.

This night seriously could not get better.

* * *

Allie waited until she got the signal from Santana.

Seeing that Finn's entire table had vacated the table for the dance floor or bar, Allie grabbed the nearest waiter, giving him instructions as to which table and seat to place the pictures at.

Satisfied that the pictures were delivered to the right spot, Allie sat back and waited for Rachel to find them, ready to swoop in and be the one to comfort Finn.

She couldn't wait.

* * *

"So spill Berry, what the fuck is up with you two? Puck demanded as he twirled Rachel around the dance floor. Now that he knew Finn's feelings, he wanted to see what Rachel had to say, wondering if she would mention the article.

Rachel smiled as her eyes flickered over to where Finn was talking with Will and Puck's Uncle Aaron. She could tell he was nervous since he kept adjusting his tie, and she tried to send him some support with her eyes. He must have sensed her staring, because he looked over and smiled at her.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" she teased, her eyes coming back to stare at Puck.

"Fuck you Berry. You rejected God's Gift to Women AKA me, for years; I want to know how Finn managed to get in your pants."

"First of all, _Noah_, you coming out of the store room with some girl and asking if I wanted a turn didn't make it hard for me to say no. Second of all, Finn's been….well, the complete opposite of you."

"So if I had been dorky all those years ago instead of the stud I am, you'd have banged me?"

"Finn is _not_ dorky. He's caring, compassionate, romantic, and generous, all things you know nothing about. I've done the most atrocious things to him and he's still supported me. Did you know that I'm about to start planning out a novel with the encouragement of Finn? That's what we were talking about before you so rudely interrupted us before." Rachel glanced over to where Finn was still talking to Will and Uncle Aaron, happy to see that he was staring at her.

"Atrocious?" Puck realized he had her. She hadn't even realized she slipped, since she was eye fucking Finn again.

"What's atrocious?" Rachel asked, turning her attention back to Puck.

"You tell me. You just said _"I've done the most atrocious things to him."_ The fuck's up Berry?" Puck asked.

"I meant wonderful, Noah. I've done the most _wonderful_ things to him," Rachel said, biting her lip, hoping he'd buy it.

"Berry, you can't out lie the Puckmeister. When it comes to lies, I'm the fucking King. Tell me why you said atrocious," Puck demanded.

Giving Finn one last glance, she pulled Puck off the dance floor and grabbed several glasses of champagne from a passing waiter. If she was going to admit all this, she needed liquid courage. "Where's the nearest empty coat room? I know you know."

"Why, you finally going to succumb to the Puckerone?" he teased; leading her to a different coat room from the one Quinn was sleeping in.

"In your dreams, Noah." Pushing Puck into the coat room, Rachel explained about Emma's idea and how she got stuck with it.

Puck listened attentively, occasionally interjecting a _"Damn Berry! I'd have dumped you so fucking fast!"_

"But here's the problem. This article is making me miserable. I've loved every moment I've spent with him and I honestly don't want it to end. You _know_ me, have you ever seen me like this with a man? I've spent years guarding my heart under lock and key, but somehow he got in there. What am I going to do?" Rachel asked, starting to cry softly.

Although it violated every rule Puck had regarding girls, feelings and the proper use of his coat room, he pulled her to him, letting her cry it out. "Why can't you just refuse to do it?"

Rachel looked up at him. "Because unlike you, I actually need to work. I did think about quitting though."

She slumped down to the ground, taking a large gulp of one of the champagne glasses she'd set on the small stool near the door. "I've tried talking to Emma about the article, but she insists that I write it. Finn is going to be so upset when he finds out I was using him. I actually sort of brought it up to Finn the other day, but I couldn't bring myself to tell him the details." She finished off the glass of champagne, and reached for another.

"You're not using him."

Rachel looked up startled as Puck sat down next to her. "Haven't you been listening? The article, remember?" she asked, confused.

"You're not using him," Puck repeated. "Hell, maybe it started out like that, but somewhere along the line, it changed. Look, you know how I hate talking about fucking feelings and shit, but Berry, I worked with you for four years and I've _never_ seen you look at anyone the way you look at him. You look at him like he's the greatest thing since bread."

"It's _sliced_ bread Noah. The greatest thing since sliced bread," Rachel corrected, giving him a small smile.

"The fuck Berry? I'm trying to make you feel better and you're _correcting_ me?" Puck teased, nudging her with his shoulder. "Seriously, do you remember the first time we met?"

"How could I forget?" Rachel laughed, thinking back to that day.

"_Ok so I guess that's about it. Since it's your first day, just stay behind the counter and remember what I told you. I don't know where Puck is, but I'm sure he's around. I'll be back from lunch in an hour." Giving Rachel a final wave, her new manager headed out the door._

_Rachel took her place behind the counter, a bright smile on her face, ready to be of assistance to customers in any way she could. Unfortunately there were currently no customers in the store to assist. Rachel was just bending down to look at some of the display cases when she heard it._

_Thump._

_Rachel picked her head up trying to determine where the sound came from. Not hearing it again, she resumed looking at the display case._

_Thump._

_She'd definitely heard something that time. Quietly backing away from the case, she looked around the store. She was definitely the only one in the store, so what was making that noise?_

_Thump. Thump._

_Looking about for a suitable weapon to protect herself with, her eyes fell on an empty metal necklace carousel. Figuring it was better than nothing, she grabbed it._

_She determined that the thumping was coming from behind a closed door, now accompanied by another sound she couldn't quite identify. Could it be a burglar?_

"_Hello?" she called out cautiously, gripping the necklace carousel tightly._

_Thump._

_Getting no response, she crept over to the door. _

"_Hello?" she called again. "I think you should know that I have a weapon!"_

_Thump. Thump._

_Gathering her courage, she pulled open the door, closed her eyes and started swinging wildly, not stopping until she made contact with something solid._

"_OW! The fuck?"_

_It didn't sound like she was about to be killed, so Rachel opened one eye. She was immediately horrified to see a man completely naked, his pants around his ankles, holding a woman up against the wall. The solid object she'd come into contact with appeared to be the back of the man's head, as he was now rubbing it. Rachel, mortified, simply stood there in shock. _

"_Can you leave? We're kind of busy here," the woman said, staring at Rachel over the man's shoulder._

"_I…I'm sorry. It's my first day of work here, and I heard noises…and I….I…I'm sorry" Rachel sputtered, unsure of what to do in this situation._

"_Oh fuck. You Berry? I'm Puck. I'm almost done here; I'll be out to help you soon."_

"_Uh, ok. Sure." Retreating quickly out of the room, Rachel closed the door and sat behind the register, still mortified._

Puck laughed. "That's not the part I was thinking of actually. You remember what you asked me when I came out of the store room?"

Rachel shook her head. "I said a lot of stuff that day. That was the first of my many lectures."

"Think hard, you really don't remember?"

Rachel racked her brain, trying to remember.

She shook her head no, listening as Puck recounted the aftermath of the encounter.

_Hearing the door to the store room opening, Rachel bent her head down, studying the keys of the cash register fastidiously. _

"_You're going to call me right?"_

"_Probably not. You can't tie the Puckzilla down. Tell you what. Stop by next Wednesday and we'll have a repeat performance."_

_Rachel could hear the girl give a moan as Puck kissed her, before escorting her to the door._

"_Sorry Berry. You need to me to show you anything about the store?"_

_Rachel finally got the nerve to look up at him. "How can you treat her like that? Don't you want to find the person you never realized you were looking for? The one who's meant to fill the spaces between your fingers?"_

Rachel looked at Puck, slightly open mouthed. "You remember that?"

"I've never forgotten it, even if I choose not to follow it. Rachel, don't you see? You just told me that Finn managed to work his way into your heart even though you've built major walls around it. That's because _he's_ the one you never realized you were looking for, and he's the only one who can fill the spaces between your fingers. It's so fucking obvious to everyone in this room, except you two."

Rachel's smile got wider with every word that came out of Puck's mouth, only to immediately disappear. "You're right. I know you are. I realized earlier tonight just how I feel about him, but it still doesn't solve my problem. He's going to be so upset when he finds out. How am I supposed to get out of this? Finn told me to put my own spin on it, but I can't decide what to do. The only thing I've decided is to stop doing stuff to him and I haven't gone to work since Thursday."

Wiping her face, she sighed. "God, how did I get here? I was supposed to be on the New York Times Bestseller List by the time I was 25, remember?"

"You only fucking told me a thousand times. _If you brought girls who could read into your store room, maybe you'd know what the Bestseller List is, Noah! Look for me on there in a few years," _he mocked, doing his best Rachel impersonation and earning a smack from her.

Laughing, he grew serious for a moment. "I can't tell you what to do, but Finn's advice isn't bad." He hesitated. "Don't fucking tell anyone, but I've been reading your stuff in _Maquillage_ and the Rachel Berry who writes all that "How to" stuff is _not _the Berry I knew. Somewhere along the line, you've lost the crazy, determined Berry I knew, the one who was constantly leaning on a jewelry counter, writing. If Finn can get you even talking about planning your novel again, whatever you decide to do, it better end with you keeping him."

Rachel leaned over and hugged him. "Thank you Noah. Maybe you should let other girls see this side of you."

Puck stood up, offering a hand to Rachel. "Hell no. There's still too many girls who have not had a slice o'Puck. You know I can't be caught. Let's get back out there so I can go reclaim my manhood after all this talking about feelings shit."

Laughing, Rachel took the arm he offered and headed out of the storeroom.

* * *

Feeling much better, Rachel walked back to the table. Puck had ditched her to talk to some girl by the bar, but she saw Tina sitting alone at the table.

"Where's Mike?" she asked as she went to sit in her chair.

"He went to talk with Finn, Artie, Will and Puckerman. Have you been crying?" Tina responded, immediately concerned.

"I'm fine. I just had a really good talk with Noah. I…what's this?" Rachel looked down at her plate and noticed an envelope propped up against her water glass, with '_Rachel_' typed across the front of it.

"Dunno. I thought it was something from Finn," Tina shrugged. "Open it."

"You think it's from Finn?" Excitedly, Rachel tore open the envelope, a pile of pictures falling out all over her plate. Picking up the pictures, she examined them closely.

Some girl taking Finn's shirt off.

Unbuttoning his shirt.

Pulling his shirt out of his pants.

Sitting in his lap, leaning into him, very close to his face.

Rachel quickly flipped through the pictures, unsure of what to think. Wordlessly, she threw them at Tina, tears beginning to form in her eyes as she waited to see what Tina thought.

Tina went through the pile silently. She looked up at Rachel in disbelief. "You can't be serious."

"I know! He's cheating on me!" Rachel cried, tears threatening to fall down her cheeks.

"_Rachel._ He's _not_ cheating on you. You're so naïve. When I said 'you can't be serious' I meant because it's so ridiculous. Look." Tina spread the pictures out, pointing to the one of the girl unbuttoning his shirt. "Look at Finn's face in each of these. You can tell he's uncomfortable and not happy."

Feeling her heart start to fill with hope again, Rachel looked. Tina was right. Now that she looked closely, she could see Finn looked upset or uncomfortable in most of the pictures. "Then what's the point of this? Why give these to me?"

Tina had been looking at something in the distance. "Rachel, it all comes back to what I told you before. Allie wants Finn and therefore she feels you have to go. Judging by the fact that she's currently sitting at her table grinning like a fool since you first looked at these pictures, I'd say she sent them to you and got this woman to help."

Rachel snuck a glance in Allie's direction. Sure enough, Allie was watching Rachel like a hawk, unable to help the grin that was on her face.

"I feel like I should pretend to burst out crying or something," she commented to Tina. "Come on. Let's go find Finn and show him how dirty my competition plays."

* * *

Finn was flying high after his impromptu meeting with Will and Aaron Puckerman. They'd already set up a schedule of meetings, and Finn had even tossed him some ideas, which Puckerman really liked. He couldn't wait to tell Rachel.

He was just coming out of the bathroom when Santana finally caught up to him.

Damn. He'd managed to avoid her all night.

"Hello, Finnegan," she said in a sickly sweet voice.

"Hey, Santana," he said warily.

Taking a step closer, Santana smiled. "I just wanted to congratulate you on winning the account. William says the Hobbit really loves you."

"_Don't_ call her that," Finn said sharply. "And yes, she does."

"You sure about that? Seems to me she likes to mix business with pleasure." Santana reached up, dusting Finn's jacket casually.

"What are you talking about?" Finn asked suspiciously.

"Q and I were over at _Maquillage_ recently and it seems that your dear little Hobbit-excuse me,_ Rachel_- is currently in the midst of writing a _fabulous_ article called _How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days _in which she's going to begin dating a guy and get him to dump her anyway she can. Unless I'm mistaken, you're the guy," Santana explained with false sympathy.

"That's a lie," Finn exclaimed angrily, backing away from Santana.

"Is it? She hasn't done anything crazy?" Santana cocked her head to the side, pretending to be worried.

Finn stared at her in disbelief. _The Karaoke Bar._

_Fraulein Maria and The Sound of Music._

_Doga._

_Vlad?_

It all made sense now. That was the reason why he'd been confused by the two very different sides of Rachel. The amazing, sexy, fun Rachel was the normal one, the one he fell in love with. The psycho Rachel was an act for her job.

Could it be true? Was Rachel only using him for an article? What about everything they'd shared when she wasn't acting crazy? Did she really love him or was it an act? Finn felt as if his world was shattering around him.

Horrified, he looked at Santana, who quickly replaced a smirk with that false sympathy look. Something was off here. Why was Santana telling him this?

"What do you want? You wouldn't tell me this if you didn't want something." Finn looked at her hard, willing himself to calm down. There had to be some explanation. God, five minutes ago his life was perfect. Why can't anything ever be easy for him?

"I don't want anything Finn. I just know how much work this account will be and I don't want you to have to deal with a break-up on top of it." Santana once again stepped closer to him, running a finger down his chest.

Backing away, Finn stared at her, hatred evident in his eyes. "You're making this all up because you want the account. I can't believe you'd mess with my life like that."

"Am I? I respect William's decision to give you the account. In fact, I really want to congratulate you." Reaching up, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply.

Finn tried desperately to get away, but the death grip Santana had around his neck prevented him from doing so as she continued her assault on his lips.

Rachel and Tina turned the corner just in time to see Finn with some dark haired girl who wasn't Rachel attached to his mouth.

"_Finn?"_

* * *

Finn finally managed to separate himself from Santana, only to see Rachel standing nearby on the verge of tears, while Tina stood there in shock.

"Rachel, it's not what you think," he began desperately.

"It's not? Are you sure? Because it sure as hell looks like you were kissing someone who wasn't me!" Rachel's voice got louder with each word as she waved the photos in the air, attracting the attention of people nearby, including Mike and Artie. "Oh my God! It's the girl from the photo!"

"Rachel, what are you talking about? What photo? Santana kissed me!" Finn cried, looking Santana to back him up. She just stood there with her arms crossed, enjoying how this was playing out. She'd timed that kiss _perfectly_.

He should have known she wouldn't do anything to help him.

"_Santana?"_ Rachel stalked over to Finn as soon as she heard that name. "So it's true. You _are _dating her, just like Allie said._" _Poking his chest for effect, she added hysterically, "You _promised_. You promised you weren't dating her. You _lied._"

Frustration and confusion, combined with the copious amounts of alcohol in his body, took over his brain. "I didn't lie. I never dated Santana. But anyway, you're one to talk about _lying,"_ Finn yelled, not caring who heard anymore.

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't act all innocent, Rachel." Turning to the crowd, he yelled out, "Any ladies here looking to get dumped? Rachel can help you get dumped in 10 days or less!"

Rachel started crying. "Finn! It's not like that! I…I tried to tell you so many times."

Santana looked from Finn to Rachel. After seeing Rachel burst into tears, Finn now looked like he was two seconds away from taking Rachel in his arms and comforting her.

That just wouldn't do.

"It's amazing you didn't dump her Finnegan, after what she put you through. Why didn't you dump her? I **_bet _**any other man would have dumped her. In fact, if I was a **_gambling_** kind of woman, I'd **_wager_** money, or maybe even an account on it," Santana said innocently.

Rachel looked at Finn, whose face had gone pale. "What is she talking about?" she asked through the tears, her voice once again getting louder.

"You mean he didn't tell you all about how he won the Puckerman account by making a bet that he could get a girl to fall in love with him by the Gala and letting Will decide if she loved him?" Still feigning innocence, Santana stared from Finn to Rachel. "Finnegan, how could you not tell her?"

Rachel stared at Finn in shock.

Behind her, she could hear Tina yelling at Mike. "So that's what Will meant when he said that only Rachel could answer the question! You _knew _about this?"

"Is this true Finn?" Rachel asked quietly, her face streaked with tears. "Was I nothing more than a bet to you?"

Finn paused, unsure of how to answer. Quiet Rachel was just as scary as yelling Rachel. "Look, yeah, I got roped into making that bet. It was stupid, but I really wanted that account, but then I don't know…when you were acting normal, you were… and I just…I …."

Rachel took a step towards Finn, losing control of her emotions, completely unaware of the crowd around them. "You should be ashamed of yourself, using someone for a bet. Especially after everything I told you about my past. How _dare_ you play with someone's feelings like that, you arrogant bastard," she screeched.

She had to get out of here. She didn't want to think of anymore. Blinded by her tears, she turned to leave, but tripped over her own shoe. "These fucking shoes!" Ripping one shoe off, she turned and flung the shoe at Finn with all her might, hitting him directly in the face. The shoe to the face seemed to release all the anger that had been building in Finn.

"_Rachel_!" he roared, blood beginning to spurt out of the cut the heel left on his face. "You don't get to walk away. You tortured me for _days,_ doing the most horrendous things to get me to dump you. Volunteering me for Karaoke? Naming my penis Fraulein Maria? The Tupperware Party? I bet you had tons of fun laughing about all that afterwards and trying to think of new ways to drive me crazy." He stared at her as he continued yelling. "I thought I meant more to you than just some guy you found at a bar with the intention of torturing for 10 days, but congratulations! You wanted to lose a guy in 10 days and you just did."

He turned his face to avoid seeing Rachel's face when she began crying harder. Without another word, she dropped the pictures on the floor and ripped off the other shoe, fighting her way through the crowd, Tina following closely behind.

"Way to explain yourself Finnegan," Santana commented, the smirk having returned to her face.

Finn turned to her, anger flashing in his eyes. Stepping closely to her, he bent down, getting right in her face. "Why don't you shut the hell up! Don't you think you've caused enough trouble? You are a miserable sadistic bitch who takes pleasure in other people being miserable. How _dare_ you mess with other people's lives for your own pleasure!"

Bending down to pick up one of the pictures Rachel had dropped, he examined the picture, his face contorting in horror when he registered what he was looking at. Looking at Santana, fury replaced the anger in his eyes.

"What the _fuck_ is this?" he bellowed, waving the picture in her face.

"I..I have no idea," Santana said, shrinking back. She'd never seen Finn like this.

"Don't fucking lie to me. I know you had something to do with this. _That's _why Rachel kept asking about you. You've been screwing with her head all week, haven't you?" Furious, he took a step towards Santana.

"Obviously, someone else took those pictures, since I'm in them, Finnegan," she sneered, hoping this idea would distract Finn.

"Do you think I'm stupid? You wanted to make sure that you won this fucking bet, so you decided to mess with Rachel to make sure you won, even going so far as to send her these stupid pictures and kissing me so she'd see." Stepping close enough to Santana, he whispered the next words so that only she could hear. "You messed with Rachel and for that, you're now going to mess with me. I will destroy you for hurting her."

Without another word, Finn turned and walked out, blowing right past Allie, who'd attempted to put her hand on his arm.

He had a lot of thinking to do.

* * *

**_A/N: Poor Finchel :( . I'd love for Finn to say that to Santana on the show though, and Quinn while he's at it, based on what I saw in "Sexy."_**


	17. A Berry without a Finn

**_Disclaimer: Glee does not belong to me_**

* * *

**_The truth is, everyone's going to hurt you. You just have to decide who is worth suffering for._**

**_-Bob Marley_**

* * *

_**Monday**_

Rachel awoke to the sound of the phone ringing incessantly. Stretching a little, she blindly reached out for Finn, ready to envelope herself in his arms. Eyes still closed, she groped around on the bed trying to locate Finn, ignoring the phone on her nightstand.

**_Hi, you've reached Rachel. Leave a message!_**

**_Rachel! It's Tina. You need to pick up the phone. Mercedes and I are worried sick about you. Call one of us back. Please!_**

Rachel opened one eye. What was Tina talking about?

Opening the other eye, her gaze fell on her dress strewn haphazardly on a chair, one shoe lying lonely nearby.

One shoe.

Rachel sat bolt upright as memories of the night before came rushing back to her.

_She'd thrown __the other shoe at Finn. _

Fresh tears threatened to spill as she pictured his face, marred by the cut from her heel, his eyes showing anger. Anger directed at _her_.

_Congratulations. You wanted to lose a guy in 10 days and you just did. _The words playing hatefully in head over and over, Rachel burst into tears. Collapsing onto her pillow, she pulled the covers over her head as her body began to shake uncontrollably.

She'd deal with the real world later.

* * *

Memories of last night inundated Rachel's dreams as she attempted to get back to sleep.

"_Rachel! Wait up!" Tina had called out, trying to fight through the crowd of onlookers. They'd parted for Rachel, only to immediately close ranks again, causing Tina to push people aside. "Rachel!"_

_Taking a cue from Rachel, Tina took off her shoes, allowing her to run after Rachel much quicker._

_Rachel didn't stop until she was outside. Even through the revolving door, Tina could see her body racked with sobs as she struggled to form a coherent enough sentence to tell the doorman to hail a cab._

_Catching up to her, Tina held out her arms. As Rachel sobbed into her shoulder, Tina looked at the doorman, mouthing the word 'cab' to him._

"_Finn…I thought…bet…lied…didn't understand…" Sill sobbing uncontrollably, Rachel gripped Tina tightly._

"_Shh. Let's just get you home," Tina soothed, leading her over to the waiting cab._

_It was only when the cab started to pull away from The Plaza, Rachel still sobbing beside her, that Tina allowed the tears to start falling from her own eyes._

* * *

**_Hi! You've reached Rachel! Leave a message!_**

**_Rachel! I know you're there! What happened? I couldn't get anything out of Finn, he'd been sitting on the couch still dressed in his tux, staring at the wall for hours until I sent him to his office. Call me back!_**

Rachel ignored Kurt's voice as she finished filling the bathtub. Chugging the bottle of wine in her hand, she walked over to the stereo, turning up the volume to max. The song that had been playing on repeat for the last 3 hours now reverberated across the apartment, drowning out the noise outside, and more importantly, the answering machine.

Stepping into the bathtub and settling into the hot water, she placed the bottle of wine on the ledge and leaned back, allowing the words of Ms. Barbara Streisand to penetrate her brain.

**_When you just give love_**

** _And never get love_ **

**_You'd better let love depart _**

**_I know it's so, and yet I know_ **

**_I can't get you out of my heart_**

**_You made me leave my happy home_ **

**_You took my love and now you're gone_ **

**_Since I fell for you_**

**_Love brings such misery and pain_ **

**_I guess I'll never be the same_ **

**_Since I fell for you_**

**_Well, it's too bad_ **

**_And it's too sad_ **

**_But I'm in love with you_**

**_You love me and then you snub _**

**_But what can I do?_ **

**_I'm so in love with you_**

**_I guess I'll never see the light_ **

**_I get the blues most every night_ **

**_Since I fell for you_ **

**_Since I fell for you..._**

Dejectedly, she traced the faucet with her toe, idly thinking how accurate Barbra's words were. Since she'd fallen for Finn, what had it gotten her? Sure, she had had 10 days of bliss, but it was accompanied by a side of heartbreak, a dull ache in her chest, and the realization that even with all that, she still loved him. Rachel brought the wine bottle to her lips drinking deeply as the song began playing again. Replacing the wine bottle on the ledge, she allowed herself to think about Kurt's message.

_I couldn't get anything out of Finn, he'd been sitting on the couch still dressed in his tux, staring at the wall for hours until I sent him to his office. _

Good. He deserved to sit and stare at a wall for hours. She'd been right when she'd felt like her time spent with him this weekend was an illusion. What she'd mistaken for emotion in his eyes was simply him acting to win a bet.

She felt like such a fool. She'd spent years fiercely guarding her heart, keeping it buried under lock and key. Every guy who showed even the slightest interest in her had always been given the brush off before she even gave herself a chance to know the man. After Jesse, she swore that she'd never let herself get to that point of heartbreak again. It had taken her months to even be able to look at Jesse without crying and thinking of his vicious words.

She wasn't stupid. She certainly wasn't planning on spending her life alone, but she'd always been a hopeless romantic. She'd just assumed that when the time was right, Mr. Perfect would come into her life, sweep her off her feet and they'd ride off into the sunset. Naturally there would be no bumps in the road as they rode off. Just like Miss Sarah in her favorite musical _Guys and Dolls_, she'd know when her love came along and would be ready to open her heart. Until that time came though, she'd keep her heart under lock and key.

Yet somehow, Finn had managed to get in there. Despite her best attempts to barricade her heart, he'd simply pushed the barricades aside and claimed her heart as his own.

Her mind mulled over everything they'd shared in the last 10 days. She thought of the late night visit at his parent's house, when they'd stayed up all night talking about everything under the sun, baring their souls to each other. She'd told him everything about her relationship with Jesse. _Everything_. He'd held her in his arms as she poured her soul out, trying to make him understand just how damaged she'd become from that relationship. She thought she'd found the antithesis of Jesse, when Finn had told her she was beautiful and then spent all night showing her just how beautiful he thought she really was.

She was wrong.

This was Jesse 2.0, but _so_ much worse.

* * *

Still chugging wine, Rachel made her way back to bed. She was unsure of how much time had passed since Tina had brought her home last night and honestly didn't care. Burying herself under the covers, she was unable to stop her thoughts from drifting back to last night.

_Tina opened the cab door, turning to help a still sobbing Rachel out of the cab. Putting an arm around her shoulders, she gently led Rachel into her building._

"_Paul, Rachel left her purse at The Plaza, can you pay the cabbie, please? And we need a key for her apartment because I really need to get her upstairs," Tina called out to the doorman. Paul took one look at both of their tear stained faces and gave Tina the key before he went outside to deal with the cab, while Tina led Rachel over to the elevator._

_Rachel's sobs had quieted somewhat. She looked at Tina, streaks of make-up mingled with tear tracks on her face. "I'm sorry for making you leave the party and Mike," she whispered._

"_Don't be. He was in on the bet too." Tina tried to sound strong for Rachel, but deep down, she was heartbroken. Mike was the best relationship she'd had in a long time._

_At the mention of the bet, Rachel once again began sobbing uncontrollably. _

"_He…article…didn't understand…tried…" was all Tina could understand as Rachel sputtered between sobs._

_The elevator doors opened and Tina led Rachel in, trying to figure out how best to help Rachel. Guy bashing and ice cream wasn't going to help this situation._

_Getting off on the 17__th__ floor, Tina led Rachel to her door. "Shh. We're here now. How about we go inside and you soak in the tub?" _

_Rachel said nothing, allowing herself to be led to her door. Tina was about to unlock Rachel's door, when Rachel took the key from her hand._

_Wordlessly, she opened the door and walked in, shutting and locking the door behind her before Tina could walk in._

* * *

_**Hi! You've reached Rachel! Leave a message!**_

_**Rachel! Seriously, we're getting really worried about you! You need to call someone back! We covered for you with Emma, but she says she needs the article by nine o'clock tonight. Call one of us!**_

Great. That was the last thing Rachel needed. Emma was the reason she was in this whole mess, the reason why her heart was laying shattered in a million pieces all over the floor of The Plaza's Grand Ballroom.

As Noah would say, right now she didn't give a fuck about Emma and her magazine.

"_Since I Fell in Love_" had been playing on repeat at max volume for hours. Rachel had been lying on her bed staring at the ceiling for just as long, trying not to think of Finn.

She wouldn't think of the way he made her feel special.

The way he'd supported her.

The way ran his fingers through his hair when he was frustrated.

Nor would she allow herself to remember how safe she felt in his arms.

And she would definitely forget about every kiss and the sparks that shot through her body with each one.

Nope, she was done with all of that.

The problem was, telling herself she was done with all that and actually believing it were two different things.

* * *

_**Hi! You've reached Rachel! Leave a message!**_

_**Rachel, Paul the doorman just called and said that the neighbors have been complaining about the music. Tina and I are coming over. We'll be there in 20 minutes. LET US IN.**_

Rachel sighed. She really just wanted to be alone, letting herself wallow in self pity. Climbing off the bed, she took a look at herself in the mirror. Her hair, still in its updo from last night was tangled in knots, some pieces hanging out haphazardly. Her face was splotched and her red rimmed eyes had created tears that left streaks down her face. There were still some remnants of makeup caked under her eyes. After her bath, she'd thrown on the first things she pulled out of her drawers, which happened to be a Columbia sweatshirt that was so old that the elastic in the necks and wrists had disintegrated causing the sweatshirt to be shapeless and a pair of pink velour track pants Tina had been begging her to give away.

The sight of herself in the mirror sent her right back to bed. She really wished they'd stop calling. There was no way they could possibly understand what she was going through. That's why she hadn't let Tina in last night. She had caught a glimpse of the surprise written on Tina's face as she'd turn to close and lock the door.

She'd heard Tina get out her cell phone and call Mercedes.

"_Mer, it's Tina...Get over to Rachel's now….yeah…They had a major fight…it's bad, she even locked me out…ok… bye."_

Rachel had heard Tina pacing outside her door, occasionally pausing to knock and ask if she was ok. Which was a stupid question. Of course she wasn't ok. She'd just been humiliated and had her heart ripped out in public…again.

Once Mercedes had arrived the two of them had spent hours outside her door attempting to talk to Rachel, unaware that Rachel had climbed into bed and cried herself to sleep.

Now they were coming over for Round 2. They could beg all they wanted, but Rachel was _not_ opening that door.

She had her wine, her bed and Barbra Streisand, that was all she needed right now.

She ignored that little voice in her head telling her that the only thing she really needed to stop crying was the one person who had made her cry.

* * *

Incessant pounding on the door heralded Mercedes and Tina's arrival. Rachel ignored it, as she continued to stare at the ceiling and drink from her wine bottle, listening to Barbra sing '_Since I Fell in Love_.'

The end of the song coincided with the cessation of the pounding on the door. Rachel lifted her body slightly, spilling red wine on her chest. She lay back down, pleased that they seemed to have left.

Mollified, she waited for Barbra to start singing again. She cocked her head, wondering why the song wasn't immediately starting again.

"Tina! She's in here!" Mercedes strolled into Rachel's bedroom strolling over to the window and opening the blinds, letting the sunlight pour into the dark room. Rachel sat up, once again spilling wine on herself, as she attempted to cover her eyes.

Damn. She forgot that the doorman had a key.

"Leave me alone. I just really want to be by myself right now." Rachel laid back and attempted to pull the covers over her face, but was thwarted by Mercedes.

"Damn girl, what's that quote you always spout at me whenever I get dumped? _'A girl only needs 3 things in life: love to make her weak, alcohol to make her strong and best friends to pick her up when the other two make her hit the floor_,' she recited. "You certainly have the alcohol and the love parts covered, and Tina and I are here to help you." Prying the wine bottle away from Rachel's hands, she placed it on the nightstand before turning to Rachel and grabbing her in a hug.

Rachel thought that she had cried herself out, but as soon as Mercedes hugged her, fresh tears sprung from her eyes. Mercedes, unsure of what to do or say, simply held her, glancing helplessly at Tina as she walked into the room.

Tina said nothing, but sat down on Rachel's other side and threw her arms around Rachel and Mercedes, allowing her tears to fall with Rachel's.

* * *

They laid side by side by sid on the bed, sharing Rachel's bottle of wine. No words were passed between them, for the moment it was enough to know that each girl had the other two by her side to support her.

Rachel eventually broke the silence. "Am I stupid for ever thinking he liked me?"

"Rachel, he _did_ like you. It was so obvious that night at the Tupperware party. He spent most of the night looking at you when he thought you weren't looking, and whenever he came from another room, you were the first thing his eyes sought out. Trust me, I was watching," Mercedes told her, taking a swig from the wine bottle before passing it to Tina.

"Not to mention the night we went over there for Poker. When you sat on his lap at the poker table, you couldn't see his face, but I could. He instantly calmed and got a happy look on his face," Tina added. "Like Mercedes said, when he thought no one was looking, he let his guard down and showed his real emotions."

Rachel felt a small bubble of hope spring up, only to be popped instantly by lingering doubts. "Noah basically said the same thing last night, but I'm not sure it's true."

"Puck was there? He actually showed?" Mercedes questioned, all too familiar with Puck and his attitude toward the family business.

"According to him, Finn's the one I never realized I was looking for. He said it was so obvious to everyone except us." Rachel wiped her mouth before going on. "See, this is why I don't get involved in relationships. The pain that come with the aftermath is not worth it. I knew I had to dump him for that stupid article, but I let his adorable ways distract me from the pain and heartbreak I knew was coming. Emma promised me a promotion not a broken heart."

"Rachel, Mike told me that Finn is _never_ in a relationship, that he's always single. He was always guarding his heart just as much as you were, never letting any girl get close to him. He might have stolen your heart, but I think you stole his as well. I think it became more than a bet for him." Tina picked her head up slightly to look at Rachel. "Mike said he's never seen Finn as happy as when he was with you. Artie agreed."

Rachel closed her eyes, digesting this information. "Finn's the-" Her thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of a cell phone.

Mercedes sat up and started fishing through her bag looking for her phone. "Hello?" Her eyes flickered to Rachel, before she furtively whispered, "Oh, hey Kurt…yea…really?...no way…good to know…ok bye."

"What was that? Let me guess. Finn's having a party to celebrate winning his stupid bet," Rachel said bitterly, reaching for the wine trying to stop the dull ache in her heart.

"Actually Kurt said that Finn's a mess. He got sent home from work," Mercedes replied as she put her phone back in her bag.

"He got sent home?" In spite of herself, Rachel was concerned. "This was supposed to be a huge day for him. He was so excited about that account."

"Well, apparently he and Vlad are refusing to get off the couch. Kurt finally managed to get him to agree to go his softball game."

"Softball game? Who are they playing?" Rachel could kick herself for being so concerned. This wasn't her problem anymore. So what if Sue Sylvester was mean to him or if they lost their playoff game?

"I have no idea, Kurt just called it a grudge match. He was bringing Finn there now." Shrugging, Mercedes looked at Rachel. "Why do you care?"

"Mercedes? Can you call Kurt back and tell him to come here after he drops Finn off?" Rachel sat up, a weird glint in her eye.

Both Tina and Mercedes recognized that look. Rachel was up to something.

"Ok, but why?" Mercedes glanced quizzically at Rachel as she dug her phone back out.

"Just do it." Jumping off the bed, Rachel opened her closet muttering to herself, as Mercedes talked to Kurt.

"He's on his way. What's going on?"

Rachel said nothing, still muttering about her clothes.

* * *

Kurt arrived twenty minutes later, "Is she as bad as he is?" he greeted Tina as she opened the door.

"Let's see. She's had a wine bottle permanently glued to her hand and the entire 17th floor has filed an injunction banning her from ever playing Barbra Streisand music at maximum volume again, but see for yourself. I think she's gone off the deep end." Tina turned and started walking down the hallway towards Rachel's bedroom. Kurt walked into the bedroom only to find a half drunk brokenhearted brunette frantically emptying out her closet.

"Kurt! You're here! I need your help."

"Are you dealing with your problems by throwing out your wardrobe?" Kurt exclaimed hopefully, unable to help himself.

"I need a disguise." Rachel came out of the closet arms laden down with clothes. "And you're going to help me create one." Dumping the clothes on the bed, she grabbed her wine bottle and finished it off, letting out a small burp as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Why?" Kurt looked at Rachel suspiciously.

"I need to see him." She looked down at the floor quietly adding, "_Please_, Kurt. Just one time."

Kurt sighed and glanced at Mercedes and Tina before replying. "I don't know Rachel. I don't think that's such a great idea."

"He won't even know I'm there if you help me. I just need to see him." She couldn't explain _why _she needed to see him; she just knew that she did. It was almost as if seeing him would prove to her that she hadn't made the last ten days up and that he was hurting just as much as she was. Whether it was the alcohol guiding her actions or not she wasn't sure, but she knew she needed to see and be near him.

Kurt gave her a fixed stare, as if he was seizing her up and evaluating her intentions. "Let me just say for the record that Finn is my brother and therefore I should _not_ be here, nor should I be helping you. He is absolutely _destroyed_ by this. He sat on the couch for hours until I forced him to go into the office. Unshowered and in his tux from last night, I might add."

Rachel opened her mouth to speak, shutting it again when Kurt held up a hand to stop her. "However, let me also say that you made him happier than I've ever seen him and as his brother, it is my duty to make sure that he doesn't lose the best thing that's ever happened to him."

Rachel said nothing, but grabbed Kurt in a hug.

"Yeah, yeah, you can pay me back by getting Finn to be human again. Let's make you a disguise. It'll be an improvement on your regular clothes."

* * *

Still slightly drunk, Rachel walked through Central Park a little unsteadily, unaware that Kurt, Mercedes and Tina were following at a distance behind her.

Kurt had found the remains of a Malibu Barbie Halloween costume in Rachel's closet and insisted that she wear the blonde wig. Wanting to hide her body, he'd dressed her in the most un-Rachel like outfit he could find: a sweatshirt, jeans, and sneakers. He'd pulled the wig into a ponytail, topped it with a baseball hat and added oversized sunglasses. As soon as her disguise was complete she'd bolted out the door.

Reaching the softball field, her eyes immediately began to scan the field for Finn. Not seeing him, she looked towards the dugout. Finn was sitting on one end of the bench, hunched over, his head in his hands. Rachel stared.

She'd never seen him so…broken.

He looked up at that moment, right in her direction. His red rimmed eyes had dark circles under them, suggesting a lack of sleep, but she could still feel them bore through her as his gaze fell on her. A five o'clock shadow was present on his pale face and his messy hair showed evidence of his hand being run through it many times. Rachel forced herself to look away and keep walking as he put his head back down.

Quickly, Rachel walked over to the bleachers, avoiding Artie. She took a seat at the top of the bleachers, slightly away from everyone else. She watched annoyed as Kurt, Tina and Mercedes strolled into the park, each greeting Artie. She'd wanted to do this on her own and knew that they were there to check up on her.

Deciding to ignore them, she focused her attention on Finn once again. He hadn't moved from his position on the bench, his head still in his hands. Rachel bit her lip, fighting the urge to go over there. So he really was destroyed, Kurt hadn't been lying.

No matter what had passed between them, it killed Rachel to see him like this.

* * *

Rachel couldn't tell anyone who asked what the score of the game was or who was playing what position. She couldn't say what insults Sue Sylvester had hurled, or even who had scored the winning run. And she certainly couldn't tell anyone that Tina was seen talking to Mike for quite a while or that they were hugging.

What she _could _tell anyone who asked was that Finn spoke to no one and that when he wasn't in the field, he resumed sitting on the edge of the bench, his head in his hands. She could also say that he barely made an effort to catch any balls hit his way, causing him to get pulled from the game. She could state with one hundred percent certainty that Finn struck out 3 times, swinging halfheartedly at the ball each time. She could definitely tell anyone who asked that Finn left the field immediately after the final pitch, walking sadly in the direction of his apartment, Kurt chasing behind.

Rachel sat staring at the empty ball field for a few moments, not quite ready to leave. She watched as Will, Artie and Sam gathered up the equipment, not really focused on any particular aspect.

"Hey, you ready to leave?" Lost in her thoughts, she hadn't noticed Mercedes climb the bleachers and sit next to her.

"In a minute." Rachel looked at her briefly, reluctantly tearing her eyes away from the direction Finn had walked off in. "Where's Tina?"

"I made her go with Mike. They have some talking to do." Mercedes stood up, holding out a hand to Rachel. "You ok?"

"No." Standing up, she took one last look at the field. Will was standing near the dugout, talking to Artie. She felt tears coming as she thought back to Will's comment last night.

"_Nonsense. I think you inspired Finn more than you know, just as I'm sure he inspired you. People in love tend to do that to each other, you know."_

Rachel fell into step besides Mercedes, deep in thought. How had Finn inspired her? Her brain went into overdrive, thinking back over the last ten days. Pulling off her wig, her mind drifted to her last conversation with Noah.

"_The Rachel Berry who writes all that "How to" stuff is __not __the Berry I knew. Somewhere along the line, you've lost the crazy, determined Berry I knew, the one who was constantly leaning on a jewelry counter, writing. If Finn can get you even talking about planning your novel again, whatever you decide to do, it better end with you keeping him."_

She would never admit to Noah, but he was undeniably right. The idea of Noah being right, combined with the thought that was now exploding in her brain, caused Rachel to stop dead in her tracks.

Her abrupt stop caused Mercedes to walk into her. "Rachel?"

Rachel said nothing. Mercedes could see something was up and waited patiently for Rachel to explain.

Rachel felt as if a light bulb had gone off in her head. Noah and Will were right. Somehow, Finn had managed to help her find herself, the one who wanted to be on the Bestseller list. He'd taken her out of her comfort zone and brought out all the aspects of her personality that she'd somehow lost over the last 7 years, even the ones she'd lost thanks to Jesse.

She frowned as the word she was looking for escaped her. What had Finn called it when he had seen those heels?

_I'm not sure I like it. It takes away from your Rachelness._

That was it._ Rachelness_. Finn had inspired her to find what made Rachel, Rachel. Now that her Rachelness was back, she wasn't about to let it go. Thanks to Finn, she'd lived more in the last 10 days that she had in the last 7 _years, _even it came as the result of a bet. She owed it to him, and to herself really, to fully break out of her self imposed exile from the real world she'd been in for the past seven years.

Quickening her step, her brain began spinning in a million different directions.

"Rachel? What's going on?" Mercedes asked, matching her steps to Rachel's.

"Mer, I've got to get home. I've got a lot of writing to do." Rachel huffed, annoyed that her thought process had been interrupted.

"Oh, for the article? Are you sure?" Mercedes looked at Rachel worriedly.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, for the article too. I'll see you later Mer." Giving Mercedes a wave, Rachel ran off in the direction of her apartment.

* * *

Rachel heaved a sigh of relief. She'd been sitting in front of her laptop typing away furiously for the past three hours. Reading it over, she smiled proudly. She'd had so much to say, and was pleased at how she'd managed to convey her ideas. She attached the document to an email, ready to send it to Emma for approval. She read over the email once more. Frowning, she realized that something was missing. She paused for a second, before adding a post script.

_TO: epillsbury_

_SUBJECT: How To Article_

_Hello,_

_I got your message about my nine o'clock deadline. Thank you for giving me an extension. I cannot thank you enough for the chance to write this article. I was incredibly reluctant at first, since my relationship experience was limited at best. However, over the course of ten days, I've learned a lot about life and love, as you will see in the article. I've learned a lot about myself as well, so thank you for the chance to discover that. Although the article turned out much different that either I or you could have imagined, I think you'll be happy with the outcome. I know I am._

_Sincerly,_

_Rachel Berry_

_PS: I quit._

Quickly, she hit send. Her first instinct was to share her news with Finn but obviously that couldn't happen. She sat back, reflecting. She knew he'd be proud of her for sending that email and taking the first step towards getting her Rachelness back. She smiled. Finn had been right. She'd taken the article and put her own Rachel Berry spin on it, and could not be more pleased with the way it turned out.

She focused on her laptop again, ready to take the next step. She'd spent the entire walk home thinking about this and how best to accomplish it. Opening a blank Word document, she began to type, her fingers unable to keep up with the ideas flowing from her brain.

"_Chapter One: The Inspiration_."

* * *

**_A/N: They're getting there! Next up Finn's POV! Don't worry, Puck will be coming back soon, he was too busy in the closet to witness the fight!_**


	18. A Hudson at Bay

_**Disclaimer: Glee does not belong to me, only Psycho Allie does**_

* * *

**_If I don't need you then why am I crying on my bed?  
If I don't need you then why does your name resound in my head?  
If you're not for me then why does this distance maim my life?  
If you're not for me then why do I dream of you as my wife?_**

**_-'If you're not the One', Daniel Bedingfield_**

* * *

**_Monday, again_**

"Mmm that feels good Ray." Eyes still closed, Finn could feel Rachel licking his face, her delicate tongue trailing along his neck she panted into his ear above him. He slowly opened his eyes, ready to capture Rachel's tongue in his mouth and take it to the next level.

He was startled as Vlad's bug eyes came into focus, not Rachel's beautiful brown ones. The little dog was standing on all fours on his chest, looking concernedly down at him. "Hey Buddy, where's Mommy?" he asked as he rubbed Vlad's head. Vlad cocked his head at the word "Mommy" but continued to stare down at him.

He heard footsteps coming from the hallway and turned his head slightly expecting to see Rachel walking into the living room. Instead, Kurt walked in, a glass of something red in one hand and a piece of celery in the other. Tentatively, he sat down on the chair across from Finn. "How are you feeling?"

Slightly confused by Kurt's question and his presence in the apartment, he picked his arm up, only to realize he was holding a shoe.

_Rachel's _shoe. The one she'd thrown at him.

Scenes from last night began flooding his brain.

_Rachel looking like a Goddess….Dancing with the hottest girl in the room…Hanging with Artie, Tina, and Mike…Getting invited to Game 7 by Puck…Winning the account…Santana kissing him...Santana telling Rachel about the bet…_

Santana.

Anger surged through his body as he thought of how much trouble Santana had caused. He picked up his head to look at Kurt, only to immediately put it back down, as the effects of a hangover began to make itself known. "What are you doing here?"

"Here. Drink this. It should help with the hangover." Kurt handed Finn the Bloody Mary and the celery, watching like a concerned mother as Finn attempted to pick his head up and sip the drink. "As for what I'm doing here, you tell me. I was happily watching Project Runway with Mercedes, when she got a phone call from Tina that something went down at the Gala. I rushed over here, only to find you sitting on the couch with that dog in your lap, a bottle of whiskey in one hand and Rachel's shoe in the other. You refused to part with either the shoe or the whiskey, and drank yourself to sleep on the couch." He watched Finn gulp down the Bloody Mary, feeling even more like a concerned mother.

"That dog has never left your side by the way. It's a good thing he was here, since you would only talk to him and not me," Kurt added, still offended that Finn would rather talk to a Chihuahua instead of his own brother. "Can we fix that cut on your face now or are you going to try to kill me again?"

Finn thought hard, trying to remember last night. Kurt, seeing that he was drawing a blank, began filling Finn in.

* * *

"_Finn! What happened? Where are you?" Kurt opened his brother's door, hurrying into the dark apartment. Turning on the lights, he glanced into the kitchen, bathroom and ran down the hallway to the bedroom. Finding them empty, he hurried into the dark living room. He turned on the light, only to find Finn sitting on the couch, his tie untied and a small dog sitting in his lap. _

"_Go away, Kurt." _

_Tentatively, Kurt took a step into the room, alarmed by the despondent tone of Finn's voice and settled into the armchair. Finn didn't move from his position on the couch, but Kurt's new vantage point allowed him to see the bottle of whiskey gripped tightly in one hand and Rachel's shoe in the other, as well as a large cut gracing one cheek, a trail of dried blood on his face._

"_Go away, Kurt." Finn brought the bottle of whiskey to his lips, drinking deeply. Still holding the shoe, Finn wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Tears were forming in his eyes, but Kurt couldn't tell if it was from the burn of the alcohol or from whatever happened with Rachel._

"_Finn…" Kurt stood up and attempted to sit near Finn, but returned to his seat when the dog started growling as he got closer to Finn. "What happened to your face?"_

"_I said, go away. I don't want to talk about it." Taking a drink from his whiskey bottle, he looked at Kurt defiantly._

"_Finn. You've got a big cut on your face and dried blood on you. We've got to clean you up." Kurt came over to the couch, ignoring the growls of the dog. "Here. Give me the shoe and we'll get you bandaged up." He attempted to pry the shoe out of Finn's hand, only to have Finn push him away, a wild look in his eyes and the Chihuahua growl louder at him._

"_NO. Just leave us the fuck alone Kurt." If possible, Finn gripped the shoe even harder._

_Unsure of what to do, Kurt returned to his seat and simply sat there staring, watching as Finn continued drinking from the whiskey bottle and clutching the shoe against his chest. He'd never seen Finn like this. Finn had never shut Kurt out before. He'd always come to Kurt for advice, knowing Kurt would help him find a solution. Whatever happened must have been major if Finn wasn't willing to talk to Kurt. _

_He was sure Finn would open up to him eventually, but for now he decided to respect Finn's wishes and give him some space. He cast a critical eye around the apartment, noticing some changes. He'd seen the bedazzled toothbrush holder and the floral bedspread when he was looking for Finn, but just now noticed the framed picture of Rachel, a gigantic stuffed bear and the castle in the living room. Examining the bear closer, he realized that the bear was wearing a t-shirt that read 'Finny-Bear.' This had to be the work of Rachel. Apparently her taste in decorating matched her taste in clothing, meaning that Finn's apartment now looked like a five year old lived here, instead of a 28 year old single man. _

_He looked back at Finn, who had laid his head on the back of the couch. His eyes were closed, and he'd temporarily let the whiskey bottle lay against his leg, as he began petting the dog with one hand, his other still clenching the shoe._

_Kurt stood up, deciding to rid the apartment of all things Rachel until Finn was ready to talk. He could see the dog watching as he removed the framed picture of Rachel from the end table. He walked over to the bear, prepared to drag it into another room. He could hear the dog growling as he got closer to the bear, but ignored it. The growls got louder with each step, causing Kurt to look back at the couch. The little dog was standing up on Finn's lap, the hair on his back raised, yipping as he watched Kurt suspiciously._

_Finn opened one eye and glanced at Kurt. "Don't," he slurred in warning._

_Kurt rolled his eyes and continued to ignore both of them. He was just grabbing hold of the bear's ear when the Chihuahua took a flying leap off of Finn's lap and landed on the bear. Kurt, surprised by the leap, let go of the bear temporarily. He watched stunned as the dog began humping the bear's leg._

"_Told you." Kurt looked from the dog to Finn, who had picked the whiskey bottle back up and was waving it vaguely in the bear's direction. "That's Finny-Bear. You can't touch him, Vlad gets mad. It's like his boyfriend or something. He must be gay, like you," he slurred._

_Kurt looked down at the Chihuahua, who was still humping the bear. "Vlad?"_

"_Yes, Vlad. As in Vlad the Impaler. You better watch it or he's gonna go impaler on your ass if you touch that bear again." Finn finished the bottle of whiskey, tossing it to the side. Closing his eyes, he garbled, "Seriously, leave me and Vlad alone. We have things to discuss."_

_Kurt ignored Finn and turned back to the bear, Vlad still humping away. No way was he getting bossed around by a dog and his stuffed boyfriend. He grabbed the bear firmly by the ear. Vlad stopped humping the bear to growl at Kurt, who once again let go of the bear. Vlad ran in between the bear and Kurt, growling, the hair once again raised on his back. Defiantly, Kurt reached toward the bear, only to have Vlad attempt to attack his Gucci loafer. Kurt jumped back and stared at Vlad, who sat in front of the bear protectively, growling at Kurt. Kurt fixed his hair, before throwing his hands up in defeat. "Fine. Have your stupid bear." He stalked back to the armchair. _

_Vlad waited until Kurt was settled back into the armchair. Satisfied that Kurt was going to leave his bear alone, he jumped back into Finn's lap._

"_May I ask who Vlad belongs to?" Kurt questioned, eying Vlad, whose bug eyes were fixed on Kurt, daring him to make a move on either his bear or any of his toys lying on the floor nearby._

"_He's mine and Rachel's. That's why I gotta talk to him; tell him that Mommy's not coming back. So go away, we need privacy." Finn had opened his eyes when he felt Vlad jump on his lap, attempting to gesture between himself and Vlad, but ended up poking himself in the face. _

_Kurt stood up, realizing that this might be his chance to find out what was going on. "If he belongs to you two, that explains why he's so stubborn then," Kurt commented wryly, looking at Vlad, who was still regarding Kurt with some suspicion. "Fine. I'll let you two talk, but I'm not leaving. I'm going to go to sleep in your room." He walked past the couch, walking down the hallway to Finn's bedroom. He shut the door loudly, but doubled back down the hallway to hear what Finn had to say to Vlad. _

_Slightly offended that his brother would rather talk to a Chihuahua than him, he settled on the floor to listen._

_He watched as Finn hugged Vlad to his body. Vlad, sensing Finn's upset state, let Finn hug him, offering licks of support. "I really messed up dude. I don't think Mommy's ever going to forgive us. Well not us, just me, since Mommy could never be mad at you, although she doesn't like when you hump Finny-Bear." _

_Releasing Vlad, he watched as Vlad circled on his lap, making him slightly dizzy. "What are we going to do? Mommy was so upset about the bet that she threw a shoe at me. Did you know that she was using me for work just like I was using her?" Finn looked down at Vlad as the dog thumped his tail. "I know, right? I didn't think she even knew how to use anyone. She's so genuine and open, and loving and unique and we both just really screwed up. I know I did, but she used me too. I couldn't believe it when Santana told me. Apparently, she needed to get a guy to dump her for her article and I was the guy she chose. I really thought she loved me, Vlad. Everyone did actually, people kept commenting on how in love we looked." _

_Stroking Vlad, he continued his tale of woe. "I'll tell you a secret Buddy: I wasn't acting. I really did love her…still do actually. Even when she was driving me crazy, I still just wanted to be with her. I've never met anyone like her. I never got the chance to tell her that though, because Santana interfered, and so did both of our stupid jobs." He sighed and threw his tie down in frustration over his loss. "The worst part is, it might have started off all about the account, but it became so much more than that. I wish you could have seen how gorgeous she looked tonight. Uncle Kurt took a picture of us, maybe if you stop growling at him, he'll show it to you."_

_Vlad sat up and stared at Finn, who was beginning to see two Vlads on his lap. "Got any advice? What do you do when your bear is mad at you?" _

_Vlad stood up and placed his front paws on Finn's chest, licking his face. He didn't want Vlad's kisses though, he wanted Rachel's, and knowing that he was never going to get them again made his head spin even more than it already was. He could feel his eyes misting over and gave himself over to the pain, allowing the tears to fall._

_From his seat on the floor, Kurt could practically hear Finn's heart breaking. He heard a few low sobs coming from the couch. Wanting to give Finn his alone time, Kurt stole away to the bedroom._

Finn listened intently as Kurt narrated the events of last night. With each word Kurt uttered, the pain in his chest grew. Slowly, he sat up, willing his head to stop pounding. "Kurt, can you leave me alone?"

"I don't think that's a good idea, Finn. You need to talk to someone, and by someone, I mean a human." Kurt looked at Finn, concern evident in his eyes as he watched Finn stare sadly at the shoe in his hand.

"No. I just want to be alone." Running his hand through his hair, Finn closed his eyes and leaned his head back on the couch. Vlad temporarily vacated his position by Finn's side to get a drink of water and grab his rubber beer bottle toy that Artie had bought for him before settling back on Finn's lap. "Please, Kurt. Just let me be."

"I'm not leaving this apartment, Finn. I'll leave both of you with your alcohol for now, but I'll be back to check on you." Giving Finn a despairing glance, he walked down the hallway to Finn's bedroom.

Finn watched him go, glad to be left alone. He ran his hand through his hair again, eyes focusing on nothing in particular. He glanced down at the shoe in his hand. He pictured Rachel's beautiful face marred by tears because of Santana and the feeling of rage coursed through his body once again. He knew Santana was partly to blame for the tears, but he was just as guilty. Summoning all the frustration and rage he felt, he threw the shoe against the wall as hard as he could.

Horrified at what he had just done to his last connection to Rachel, he gently pushed Vlad to the side, and jumped off the couch to get the shoe. Cradling the shoe to his body, he fell to his knees and allowed the tears to fall as his whispered, "I'm sorry, Rachel. I'm so sorry."

As mad as he was at Rachel, it had killed him to see her beautiful face drowning in tears.

* * *

"Finn, it's been hours. It's time to get off the couch. Give me that dog and go to work," Kurt commanded as he walked back into the living room.

True to his word, he'd left Finn and Vlad alone, although he'd secretly peeked into the room to check on Finn. Each time he popped his head into the room, he was always greeted by the same scene. Finn sat unmoving on the couch, staring at the wall, Vlad on his lap. The only thing that changed was that Vlad seemed to gathering all his toys and placing them on Finn's lap or setting them next to Finn. Kurt couldn't help but smile each time he saw a new toy on Finn's lap.

"I'm fine right here Kurt," came the monotonous answer, Finn never taking his eyes off the wall.

"No, Finn, you're not. You need to leave this apartment, and Vlad does too. Will just called and said Puckerman has been calling for you. Give Vlad to me and I'll take him for a walk while you get changed."

"Not gonna happen Kurt. I don't give a damn about work. And Vlad's staying with me."

"Fine. How about you come with us then? That dog needs to go out, his bladder's probably going to explode all over the suit I spent hours picking out." Seeing that Finn was considering this, he slyly added, "You don't want Rachel to think you're not taking care of Vlad, do you?"

Finn's eyes flickered over to view Kurt with annoyance. "Fine. We'll go for a short walk, and then you're going to leave us the hell alone." Clearing all the toys off his lap, he grabbed Vlad and slowly stood up. "Let's get this over with."

Kurt, pleased that Finn was at least willing to go outside, smiled and grabbed Vlad's leash, planning his next move.

As soon as they were outside, Finn placed Vlad on the ground, the little dog immediately going to the lone tree in front of the apartment building and relieving himself. Finn stood next to the curb, one hand holding Vlad's leash, the other running through his hair repeatedly, thinking of the time after the softball game when he and Vlad had walked with Rachel, not Kurt. He remembered the way she'd wrapped her arm around his waist and the tingles that he'd felt from her touch. He could picture her beautiful face as he'd grabbed her and spun her and Vlad around in the air. Tears started to form at the thought, but he refused to give in to them again. He was so engrossed in his thoughts of Rachel that he didn't notice Kurt stop to talk to the doorman, nor did he notice the doorman nod and walk towards the street, hand in the air.

Kurt came and stood next to him, not saying anything, but watching the doorman out of the corner of his eye. "Now!" he cried out to the doorman, who had just opened the door of a cab that had pulled up to the curb.

Quickly, Kurt gripped one of Finn's arms, while the doorman grabbed the other. Together, before Finn could realize what was happening, they shoved Finn into the cab. Kurt grabbed Vlad and quickly got in next to him, while the doorman ran around to the other side of the cab to make sure Finn didn't escape out the other door.

"Madison and East 49th. Go!" Kurt told the driver.

Finn, recognizing the address of his office building, simply sighed and glared at Kurt. Why couldn't he understand that if he _had _to go anywhere, the only place he wanted to go was wherever Rachel was?

* * *

Kurt paid the driver and marched Finn and Vlad into the lobby, not at all upset that Finn had not said one word to him the entire cab ride over here.

"Alright. Here's what you're going to do. You're going to give me Vlad, and go upstairs to your desk. You're going to sit there and discuss the Puckerman account with Will, maybe even make a few calls to Puckerman and not think about anything else, ok? Go."

Finn glared at him, knowing that Kurt could be scarier than his mom when he chose to be. He'd learned from past experience that when Scary Kurt was around, it was just easier to give in. Resigned, he handed Vlad to Kurt, telling the dog, "Go with Uncle Kurt, Vlad."

The little dog whimpered, scrambling to get out of Kurt's arms and back to Finn.

"**_Go_**. We'll walk you to the elevators." Kurt pushed Finn in the direction of the elevator bank, struggling to hold onto an upset Chihuahua at the same time.

He pushed Finn into a waiting elevator and pressed the button for the 23rd floor. Kurt stepped back out of the elevator, watching as the doors closed on a depressed looking Finn, hoping against hope that he was doing the right thing for his brother.

* * *

Standing in the crowded elevator, Finn figured out a way to outsmart Kurt. He was in a hurry to get back to his apartment, and more importantly, his couch of self-pity.

Instead of getting off at the 23rd floor, he joined a large group of people getting off at the 18th floor. He walked over to another elevator and pressed the down button, feeling proud of himself for thinking of this plan and hurrying into the next elevator that came.

He stepped out into the lobby, only to be greeted by Kurt and Vlad, one looking annoyed, the other doing his best to get free to get to Finn.

"I _knew_ you'd try to sneak back down!" Kurt cried accusingly, pointing back to the elevator. He immediately pressed the up button, once again marching Finn over to the next available elevator. "Now Vlad and I have to bring you to your office, like a parent bringing their kid to kindergarten, are you happy?"

Frustrated, Finn ran his hand through his hair. "Kurt, you're a damn pain in the ass you know that?"

"Yeah, but you'll thank me later."

* * *

Allie sat impatiently at her desk, keeping one eye on the elevator bank. With each ding of the elevator, her heart would begin to pound, only to be disappointed when the doors opened and it wasn't Finn.

She could picture the look on his face as he blew past her last night. He'd looked utterly destroyed. That _bitch_ had dared to use him and treat him like a piece of garbage. It had taken a lot of restraint on Allie's part not to punch her and her large nose in the face for upsetting Finn. He'd been so upset that he hadn't heard Allie calling after him. She tried to follow him, but the crowd was too thick and she'd lost him.

Fortunately for Finn, she was here to pick up the pieces and mend his broken heart. She'd taken care to wear a nice outfit and do up her hair and makeup, since she just _knew_ that today was the day Finn would finally ask her out. She had even gone to Starbucks and gotten Finn's favorite Iced Passion Sweet Lemonade, then went to Dunkin' Donuts and bought a Boston Crème doughnut, since she'd noticed that he always took that one whenever anyone brought in doughnuts.

Needing a Finn Fix, she'd just opened up her secret file of pictures taken of Finn at various business dinners on her computer, when she heard the elevator ding again. Quickly minimalizing the screen, she turned just in time to see the doors open and Finn come slowly out, accompanied by a smaller man holding a dog.

Allie stared, as did most of the people within range of the elevator as Finn was marched off the elevator by the smaller man. Finn was still dressed in his tuxedo from last night, minus the tie. His hair was sticking up in a million different directions, which Allie knew meant he'd been running his hands through it a lot. His eyes were bloodshot, dark circles underneath and his normally clean shaven face had the beginning of a five o'clock shadow, along with a trail of dried blood coming from a large cut across his cheek.

Finn dragged himself into his office, the smaller man in tow, completely ignoring every single person. Allie, who'd stood up holding the doughnut and lemonade, stared after him as he shut the door behind them. The smaller man and the dog came out, and walked over to Allie. "I'm Finn's brother Kurt. I'm going to give you my cell phone number. If he leaves this building for any reason, I want you to call me immediately. Do not let him leave unless either Artie or I know where he's going."

Allie smiled, pleased to be meeting her future brother-in-law but then glanced nervously at the dog, who'd begun growling at her, clearly remembering her from his last visit.

"Of course. No problem." She wrote down's Kurt's name and number, sticking the post it to her computer monitor so she wouldn't lose it. Satisfied, Kurt said good bye and left. Unsure of what to do, she tentatively knocked on the door. "Finn?"

There was no reply, but the door wasn't locked, so Allie slowly opened it. Finn was sitting behind his desk, resting his head on his elbows, staring down at the desk surface. He didn't seem to notice the door open or even realize that Allie was in the room, so Allie began stepping quietly towards his desk.

"Finn?" she asked again, placing the drink down on the desk and placing her hand on his shoulder. The sparks she felt resound through her arm at the contact with Finn's body was negated when he jumped out of his skin at her touch. He stared up at her, although Allie got the feeling that he wasn't really looking at her.

"Oh, hey," he responded flatly, immediately putting his head down and putting his hands in his hair in frustration.

"I...I brought you your favorite doughnut and drink," Allie stammered, placing her hand on Finn's shoulder again, not noticing when Finn recoiled at her touch. "I'll…I'll just leave them right here."

Seeing that Finn made no reply, nor did he attempt to move from his head down position, Allie hastily retreated out of the office and back to her desk, wondering what went wrong. She'd fully expected Finn to come in this morning and ask her out. She had even worn her nicest lingerie, just in case.

She sighed, turning to back to her monitor. For now, she'd go back to photoshopping herself next to Finn in the secret file of Finn pictures on her computer.

* * *

"Finn?" Artie wheeled into Finn's office, Mike following behind. They found Finn in the same position Allie had found him in earlier.

Finn didn't bother looking up as he mumbled, "Go away."

Artie and Mike exchanged glances, unsure of what to do. "So Dude, we've gotta lot of work to do with this account. Mike and I started drafting some ad boards based on your slogan to show Puckerman, but we need you to approve them," Artie offered, hoping to take Finn's mind off of Rachel.

It didn't work.

Still not bothering to look at either Artie or Mike, Finn muttered "No offense, but I don't give a fuck about the account. Do whatever you want."

"You guys ready for softball tonight? We're playing Sylvester Total Fitness again!" Sam walked in, holding a roster in one hand, Nick following close behind.

"I don't know if Finn is up for softball tonight," Artie responded, nodding his head at Finn, who was still staring down at the desk.

"I think you should go Finn, it might make you feel better. You can pretend the ball is Rachel and her large nose," Nick commented, attempting to make a joke.

Finn's head snapped up at the mention of Rachel. "Don't _ever_ talk about Rachel that way! Get the hell out of my office!" he snarled, fury showing in his eyes. Grabbing the nearest thing he could get his hands on, which happened to be a stapler, he threw it at Nick's hastily retreating figure.

Finn sat back down and resumed his desk staring as Mike, Artie and Sam looked at each other, worry etched across each of their faces. "I just saw Kurt and he said that Finn was staring at the wall for hours," Artie murmured to the other two.

Mike looked at Finn. Sure, he was upset that Tina was pissed at him, but that was nothing compared to what Finn must be going through. "Look, Finn…" he began.

"God, why can't people leave me alone? It's bad enough I have Kurt up my ass, now you guys are going to start?" Frustration was evident on Finn's face as he forcefully knocked his IN box off of his desk. Why couldn't people understand that he just wanted to be alone? He'd lost Rachel and Kurt had stolen his dog, so the only thing he had left was the memories playing over and over again in his head.

"Fine, we'll leave you alone. Come on guys," Artie wheeled out of the office, followed by Mike and Sam.

Finn, relieved to be alone, resumed staring at his desk, his thoughts solely focused on every image he could summon of Rachel over the last ten days. _Rachel laughing with Mercedes and Tina at the bar…Washing dishes side by side with his mom…Curled up on the couch next to him…Riding on his back kissing his bruise…Looking like an angel as she slept on his chest._

Just as Finn was on the verge of tears again, Allie came back in. "Finn? Will wants to see you."

Sighing, Finn stood up, gearing himself to drag himself over to the conference room. Allie watched him, concern written all over her face. "Finn? For what it's worth, you're better off without her. She doesn't deserve you." She reached out and placed a hand on his arm.

Finn looked down at her arm, then at her face. Allie was immediately thrilled when his gorgeous eyes found hers, until she heard the next words out of his mouth. "You're right. She deserves so much better than me."

Placing his hand over hers on his arm for a moment, he turned and walked slowly to Will's office, leaving a thrilled Allie staring at her hand in his wake.

He walked slowly down the hallway, ignoring the stares he was getting from everyone he passed. Only one person standing near the coffee machine caught his eye.

Santana.

Rage flowed through his body as he stared at her. She hadn't noticed him yet, since she was busy chastising her secretary for preparing her coffee wrong.

Anger guiding his actions, he stalked over to Santana. "Don't think I've forgotten about what I said," he snarled.

Santana eyes roamed over his dirty tuxedo, messy hair and blood stained face. "Rough night, Finnegan?" she sneered, putting on a show of bravado, his threats from last night not forgotten.

"I meant every word I said, Santana." Turning to walk away, he called over his shoulder, "Payback's a bitch, just like you."

* * *

"You wanted to see me?" Finn walked into Will's office feeling slightly better after his run in with Santana. He almost ran to a phone to call Rachel, momentarily forgetting he couldn't. In a weird way, he almost felt like telling Santana off was taking a step towards being a man who deserved Rachel.

"Ah, yes, Finn. I just... Are you ok?" Will finally asked, peering over his glasses, as he took in Finn's rumpled appearance and the cut on his face just below the bruise he already had.

Finn said nothing, sitting down in a wing chair and running his hands through his hair.

"Look Finn, Aaron Puckerman is coming in today to meet with me. I'd like to have you here, but I heard about what happened last night and I saw what you did to Nick before. You look like hell and I can't have Puckerman thinking it's normal. Why don't you go home, get some rest, shower, and get ready for the softball game?"

Will punched Finn lightly on the shoulder. "Come on. You can take your frustrations out on Sue, I plan to. She's already called 9 times to make comments about my hair, including once to tell me there was a sale on Axe hair gel at CVS."

Once again running his hand through his hair, Finn stood up. "You're right. I shouldn't be here."

Will watched as Finn trudged out of his office, thinking to himself that he'd never seen a bigger fool in love

"Oh, Finn, I have your messages." Allie had been hovering outside Will's office, waiting for Finn. Falling into stride next to Finn, she began to read off her memo pad. "Sue called 12 times, wanting your drug test results faxed over and also to let you know that she's checked the rule book and she's pretty sure that the cleats you wear for games are illegal, so you'll need to get a new pair. She sent over a list of approved cleats. Then she called again and said that-" She broke off as she saw Finn rub his face tiredly.

"Allie, no offense, but right now I don't give a damn about Sue and her crazy accusations. I'm going home." Finn announced, walking into his office and shutting the door, while Allie ran to her desk to call Kurt.

* * *

Finn stepped out of the elevator 15 minutes later, only to find Kurt and Vlad waiting for him. "What are you doing here?"

"Allie called and said you were being sent home until your softball game. Vlad and I were shopping nearby, so we figured we'd meet you," Kurt replied, holding out a very excited Vlad to Finn.

"Hey, Buddy. Did you have fun with Uncle Kurt?" he asked, holding Vlad close to his chest, letting Vlad lick his face and feeling Vlad's tail hitting his chest as it wagged excitedly. Glancing down, his eyes snapped back to Kurt. "What did you do?" he asked accusingly.

"Don't you like it? Knowing that you're hopeless when it comes to fashion, I simply introduced Vlad to the wonders of Haute Couture." Kurt happily fingered the Swarovski Crystal studded collar Vlad was now sporting, a matching "V" hanging off of it, along with the silver ID tag from his old collar. "Isn't it great?" he asked gleefully.

"He looks like a rapper."

"I'm going to ignore that remark. Come on, let's get you home."

For the first time in almost 24 hours, Finn managed a tiny smile, one that didn't go unnoticed by Kurt.

* * *

Once at home, Finn settled back on the couch, a blinged out Vlad back in his lap. Kurt had silently settled onto the couch next to him, hoping Finn was finally ready to talk. Kurt and Vlad's shopping trip had made them buddies now, and as long as Kurt didn't go to close to the bear, Vlad was willing to allow Kurt to sit on the same couch as Finn.

Kurt frowned. He couldn't understand why Finn was insisting on internalizing this. Normally, he came running to Kurt, they'd discuss it and Finn would be ok then. That wasn't happening this time, which made Kurt think that Finn must be really destroyed. He was startled out of his thoughts by the ringing of Finn's cell phone on the table.

Finn stared at it for a moment, afraid to look at the screen, his heart pounding. It could be anyone; his mom, Blaine, any of his friends.

Or it could be Rachel.

Considering these options, he prayed that it was Rachel, but with his luck it was probably his mom wanting to know when her Tupperware was going to come in.

The pounding increased as he reached for the phone, threatening to break out of his chest. _Please be Rachel Please be Rachel Please be Rachel_ he silently prayed as he picked up the phone. "Hello?" he spoke into the phone, doing his best to sound halfway normal.

_"That you Hudson? Sue Sylvester here."_

Great_. _Just what he wanted to deal with right now. Her voice was coming through the phone loud enough for Kurt to hear next to him and he held the phone away from his ear.

"How did you get this number?" Finn questioned, mentally thinking he'd have to change it now.

_"I require the league to give me all opposing Team Captain's cell phone numbers. We have a problem, Andre the Giant."_

"Look Sue, my cleats are not illegal. As a matter of fact it doesn't even matter, because I'm not planning on being there." As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he knew it was true. Rachel had infiltrated every aspect of his life, and right now, he wanted to avoid any place with a memory of her.

_"That so Gill? Then it appears we have another little problem."_

"It's _Finn_. And why do we have a problem?" Although it was against his better judgment, Finn couldn't resist asking. He pinched the bridge of his nose, bracing himself to hear whatever scheme Sue has concocted.

_"Finn, Gill, Anal Fin, whatever. The problem, Fishboy, is that if you don't show, your team is ineligible."_

"What do you mean, ineligible?" Finn asked stupidly, practically able to hear the glee in her voice, which she now wasn't bothering to conceal. He sighed, _not_ in the mood to deal with Sue's antics. He just wanted his dog and his couch.

_"I was doing my usual background check of all the players listed on your roster, and I couldn't help but notice that Wheels is listed on there. That's a major problem. His wheelchair needs to be inspected by a qualified mechanic to ensure that he hasn't souped it up. I require 48 hours notice in a case like this. It's in my contract."_

"Sue, are you serious? Artie's not going to soup up his wheelchair," Finn wearily replied, not quite believing Sue's latest accusation. He could see Kurt stifling a laugh next to him.

_"Of course I'm serious Flipper. Can't have Wheels installing an engine on that thing and running down my players. I've already placed a call to the League Office, as well as Mayor Bloomberg, letting him know of Schuester's shady ethics. If you don't show and Wheels drives onto that field, Schuester has to forfeit because you'll be short players."_

Finn groaned internally. He knew how serious his office took the softball league. If he didn't show, they'd be furious, _especially_ if they had to forfeit to Sue. They'd lost to Sue for the last 3 years running. When they'd lost to Sue last year in the Finals, she'd sent a Barbershop Quartet to the office to serenade them with a song about how much they sucked. She'd written the song herself, and included shots at Will's hair, Finn's height, and Mike's Asianess. Finn was team Captain; he'd given a huge speech at the beginning of the season about going all the way and taking Sue down. He sighed. He should have known that speech would come back to kick him in the ass at the worst possible time.

Whatever, they'd get over it eventually. He was about to tell Sue they'd forfeit when Kurt grabbed the phone from him.

"Don't worry about that Sue. He'll be there."

* * *

Still mad at Kurt for forcing him to come, Finn trudged through the park, not really paying attention to anything, longingly thinking of his couch. Vlad had been curled up on it when Kurt had forced him out the door, and he couldn't help but feel jealous.

He rolled his eyes. He was officially pathetic. He was jealous of a Chihuahua.

He could hear Kurt whispering furiously on his cell phone behind him, which made him think that he was talking to someone associated with Rachel. He perked up, hoping to hear something about Rachel.

_"Really?...Why does she want me?...I don't know if that's a good idea…It's bad here too…I know, it was all I could do to get him to go to softball….I'll be over after I make sure he goes to softball…bye."_

"Where are you going?" Finn asked immediately, glancing down at Kurt as he fell in step beside him. The fact that Kurt didn't answer right away confirmed his suspicions. Whoever was on the phone was _definitely_ associated with Rachel, if not Rachel herself. "Who was that?" he demanded, stopping short. "Was it Rachel? How is she?" He looked at Kurt before bitterly adding, "She's probably putting the finishing touches on her article."

Kurt stared hard at him. "That was Mercedes." Seeing the look of disappointment on Finn's face, he put his hand on Finn's arm. "Finn, she's just as bad as you are. She locked Mercedes and Tina out of her apartment and refused to open the door for hours. They could hear her crying through the door."

Finn stared at Kurt, absorbing this information. She'd locked them out? He knew how much Mercedes and Tina meant to her, she must be really upset if she was refusing to see them. He grabbed at his hair in frustration. What had he done? He was so proud of the fact that he was everything that douche Jesse wasn't, but in the end, he'd hurt her just the same, if not worse.

Kurt could see the internal struggle going on in Finn's eyes. He bit his lip, unsure if he should have told Finn anything about Rachel. "Finn? You can't do anything about it now. Come on." He gently pushed Finn to get him walking again.

Finn said nothing, allowing himself to be led towards the field, his mind working a mile a minute. He was so deep in thought, he even failed to hear Sue and her bullhorn herald his arrival.

"Well look who finally showed! It's Aquaman and his lady friend!" Kurt threw Sue a dirty look as he led Finn over to the bench, where Finn proceeded to immediately sit down and put his head in his hands. Undaunted, Sue stalked over and aimed her bullhorn directly at Finn's head. "Hudson! I demand to see those cleats!"

Despite the hit his eardrum must have taken from the bullhorn, Finn didn't even pick up his head, causing Sue to bend down and look closely at his cleats. "Those will do," she barked into her bullhorn, once again directly in Finn's ear.

Standing back up, she turned around looking for her next victim. Walking away, she aimed her bullhorn at Will. "Schuester! I'd like you to know that I've officially filed a complaint with the league about my long standing suspicion that your pitchers are coating the balls with a thin layer of that God awful hair product you use!"

Kurt rolled his eyes. He turned back to Finn, placing a head on his back. "I'm leaving for a little bit. Stay here."

"Are you going to see her?" Finn didn't even bother picking up his head.

Kurt hesistated; unsure of how to respond.

"Promise me something Kurt. Do what you can to help her." Finn looked up, grabbing Kurt by the arms and shaking him. "Promise."

"Alright Finn. I promise, but only if you stay here." Finn nodded, releasing his hold on Kurt. He watched enviously as Kurt signaled to Artie he was leaving, before walking off in the direction of Rachel's apartment.

He put his head back in his hands. _He_ should be the one going to comfort Rachel. Nobody's arms could hold her as perfectly as his could and he was sure that no one could wipe away her tears as gently as him.

He almost lost it when he realized that apparently nobody could make her cry like he could either.

* * *

Finn remained on his bench during practice, a fact that did not escape Sue's attention. "Gigantor! No practice? Which would you prefer for when you lose, the Barbershop Quartet again or Chippendale's dancers?"

Getting no response from Finn, she turned her bullhorn on Mike. "Hope you brought your A game, Yo-Yo Ma. Hudson seems to have forgotten that he sucks."

"Leave him alone Sue," Mike warned, glancing at Finn, who still hadn't looked up.

"Aww. Problems with the Dwarf?" Sue barked into her bullhorn. "Becky! Find out what Dwarves eat and send it to her as a Thank You for taking out Schuester's best player!"

Finn's head had snapped up at the word "Dwarf", fury written across his face as he stood up. Sam, who happened to be standing near Finn, put his arms around Finn, restraining him with help from Mike. "Don't fucking call her that!" he yelled in Sue's direction, struggling to break free from Mike and Sam.

Will quickly joined them, and between the three of them, they finally managed to get Finn to sit back down, muttering "_she can't call Rachel that_," as he put his head back in his hands.

Sue simply smirked, pleased that she'd gotten such a strong reaction from him. With Hudson off his game, this should be an easy victory for her. She'd already written this year's victory song.

* * *

After his outburst, Finn stayed by himself on the bench, never looking up. He didn't want to look at the stands and remember Rachel and Vlad sitting there in their matching "Team Finn" shirts.

Nor did he want to remember how cute Rachel looked yelling at Sue from the stands every time Sue insulted him. He definitely didn't want to remember comforting and kissing Rachel when she was upset about Santana. And he certainly wasn't going to remember the way she'd run out onto the field to jump into his arms and kiss him after his team had won.

Yup, this field was tainted with Rachel. He'd do best to just keep his head down to avoid the ghosts of Rachel that were everywhere.

He was doing pretty good, keeping his head in his hands. Only once did he feel the need to look up. His eyes were drawn to a woman with bleached blonde hair tucked under a baseball cap who'd just arrived. He stared intently at her, unable to stop, feeling her staring at him.

He put his head back down. If it wasn't Rachel, he didn't want to look at another woman.

* * *

Finn glanced longingly at his spot on the bench. Sam had shoved his glove into his hand and pushed him onto the field. He didn't understand that Finn's position at Shortstop afforded him too good of a view of the bleachers, allowing him to see the exact spot Rachel had sat in last time.

He was so engrossed in staring at that spot that he let several easy balls go by, to the delight of Sue (_"Gigantor! I always knew you secretly wanted to play for my winning team!") _and the annoyance of Will, who immediately called a time out and had a team meeting on the mound.

"Finn, I know you're hurting, but you really need to make an effort to take your mind off of it." Will glanced around the little group, ignoring Sue's bullhorn counting down the time remaining in their time out. "We'll try to help you out as much as we can, but you need to help yourself."

"Time's up, Shuester!" Directing her bullhorn at her own team for once, she barked, "Anyone who _doesn't_ hit a ball in Hudson's direction is off the team!"

Finn tried to make an effort, he really did. The next ball that came at him he least stuck his arm out for, albeit after the ball had already went past him. Fortunately, the next few batters didn't hit the ball to him and the inning mercifully came to an end.

Thank God. That empty spot in the bleachers was taunting him.

He slowly walked off the field, ready to assume his position of anguish on the bench.

* * *

Batting didn't go any better for Finn. Half the time he had no clue it was his turn to bat; someone, usually Mike or Sam, had to pry him off the bench, put a bat in his hand, and push him out to the batter's box. He would barely swing at the first three pitches he saw, anxious to get back to the bench and escape the images of Rachel he saw all over the place.

Sue Sylvester was absolutely delighted by this turn of events, offering Finn a lifetime membership to her gyms if he continued to suck.

By the 7th inning, with Schuester Advertising down three runs thanks to Finn's mistakes in the field, Will had pulled Finn from the game completely. This was fine with Finn, who simply sat on the bench staring at the ground. The feeling of Rachel at the game was overwhelming him, and he was ready to just leave.

Damn Kurt, making him promise to stay. He'd better have held up his end of the bargain.

Luckily, Mike, riding high from his reconciliation with Tina, saved the day when he hit a three run Home Run in the ninth, which tied the game. He'd had to run all the way into the dugout once he'd realized that Sue was chasing him, attempting to hit him with her bullhorn.

Not that Finn noticed.

He also didn't notice Will hit the game winning Home Run, nor did he notice the rest of the team celebrating.

He assumed when someone came over and sprayed him with beer in celebration, that the game was over. He jumped off the bench, ready to get away from the overwhelming sense of Rachel that this field contained.

Sue Sylvester stalked over to him, bullhorn in hand. "Well played Hudson. Your '_I'm so depressed'_ routine distracted me from the Asian Attack. You and the Asian are officially on my list of people to report to Homeland Security as a threat to National Security. Schuester's already on there. Who knows what he's importing in that nest on his head."

Ignoring her, he turned and headed for his apartment, not noticing Kurt hurrying to catch up with him.

"Finn! Wait!" Kurt picked up the pace, seeing that Finn wasn't slowing down to wait for him.

"I've got to get out of here Kurt." Finn picked up _his_ pace, determined to get away from the ghosts of Rachel.

"Finn, I know-" Kurt panted, hurrying to match Finn's long strides.

Finn stopped short on the sidewalk, causing Kurt to bump into him. He spun around to face Kurt and finally exploded, unloading all the emotions he was feeling on Kurt. "That's just it, Kurt. _You don't know._ You've always had Blaine. You have no idea what it feels like to wake up in the morning thinking everything's fine, only to have reality bitch-slap you in the face when you remember that it's not. You can't imagine how awful it is when something good happens and all you want to do is just call that person and share it with them, but you can't." He looked sadly down at his cleats. "You don't know what it's like to lose something you never really had in the first place."

He turned and began walking slowly away, leaving an open-mouthed Kurt staring after him.

* * *

Bribed by a few biscuits, Vlad once again allowed Kurt to sit on the same couch as Finn.

Kurt sat down next to Finn, worry written across his face. Vlad eyed Kurt from his position on Finn's lap, his toys again scattered around Finn's lap. They sat in silence, Kurt hoping that Finn would finally be ready to really talk. He was rewarded after a half hour of silence, when Finn whispered, "It's insane."

Startled, Kurt looked at Finn, who was staring at the wall, and petting Vlad. "What's insane?"

"This whole situation." Finn took his feelings out on Vlad's rubber steak, throwing it against the wall, sending Vlad after it. "I mean, I spent all this time thinking I meant something to Rachel, and she turned around and proved me wrong. It was nothing but a game to her."

Kurt shook his head. "I don't think it was Finn, I really don't."

"You're just saying that. She didn't deny it when I asked her about it. God, I'm so stupid!" He jumped up suddenly and kicked the coffee table, sending Vlad scurrying into his castle as the table collapsed. "I was doing just fine on my own. Why did she have to come into my life?"

He grabbed a statue Kurt had insisted completed the décor from a nearby shelf and flung it, watching as it shattered into a thousand pieces, looking for his next object to destroy. "I couldn't even play softball tonight because there was such an overwhelming sense of Rachel at the game!" He grabbed a Ladies Home Journal off the floor and ripped it to shreds.

Kurt, horrified at what was being done to his decorating scheme, tried to intervene. "Finn! That was a Moroccan coffee table and that statue was a LLadro! Do you realize what you've just done? If you have to throw anything, throw your stupid video games!" he cried, quickly jumping over the back of the couch and crouching behind it as a lamp came sailing his way. He envied Vlad hiding in the safety of his castle.

Once he was behind the safety of the couch, he thought about what Finn had just said, wincing every time an object sailed over the couch.

_I couldn't even play softball tonight because there was such an overwhelming sense of Rachel at the game._

His disguise had worked. Finn hadn't recognized Rachel, but had still been able to sense her presence. They really were a match made in horrible fashion sense heaven.

Slowly, he crawled out from behind the couch and cautiously stood up, keeping a lookout for flying objects. "Finn! Cease Fire!" he yelled as a glass paperweight hit the wall and shattered.

Finn, about to launch another statue, paused when he heard Kurt yell. "What the hell, Kurt?"

"You need to stop. I know you're hurting, but I can promise you that Rachel is hurting just as much. This wasn't a game to her. Tina told me that she played the same song for hours at maximum volume, to the point where the neighbors took out a petition against her."

In spite of himself, he smiled. That was so _Rachel._ She probably found some quote in whatever song she was listening to, a quote that perfectly reflected their sorry situation.

A quote.

_"Well Finn, I'm not letting you off the hook. I expect you to find a meaningful quote and report back to me. Take your time and really search. Maybe then you'll find where mine is from."_

He thought of her own favorite quote, the one about the day before you and he suddenly became consumed with an overwhelming urge to find out where it was from. He couldn't say why it was so important, but he knew that it was. Kurt watched silently as he stalked over to his computer, typing the words he'd memorized into the search box.

He was rewarded almost immediately when song lyrics came up. Eagerly, he scanned the lyrics before quickly opening iTunes.

Curious to know what Finn was doing, Kurt peered over his shoulder, watching as Finn downloaded the song on iTunes. "_The Day Before You_? I love that song!"

Finn glanced at him. He should have known Kurt would know the song. His high school Glee Club was always singing different genres of music. He turned his attention back to the screen, closing his eyes as the song began to play.

This song was so totally _them. _He particularly liked the line:

**_Now you're here  
__and everything's changing  
__suddenly life means so much  
__I can't wait, to wake up tomorrow  
__And find out this promise is true  
__I will never have to go back to  
__The day before you_**

Finn couldn't find truer words. Rachel had come into his life and everything changed. She'd infiltrated every aspect of his life, and now everything was covered in Rachel. He _needed_ Rachel by his side. He knew that no matter what had happened between them, the past 10 days had changed both of them for the better, making each bring out the best in the other.

Now that he knew what having Rachel in his life was like, he never wanted to go back to the day before her. Turning back to the computer, he set the song to play on repeat while he searched for a quote of his own. He'd let her down in so many ways, he wasn't about to let her down when it came to this.

"What are you doing?" Kurt asked as he settled back on the couch. Vlad emerged from his castle, rubber steak in his mouth, and jumped up to join him.

Finn didn't bother to turn around, calling over his shoulder, "Can't talk Kurt. I've got a quote to find and Santana to destroy."

* * *

_**A/N: Whew! That was a long one. I blame Kurt for it, since he insisted on having a bigger role. A lot of people are asking about the article. It'll be coming up very soon! Special thanks to SciFiMom2000 for the awesome phrases "he's gonna go impaler on your ass" and "Anal Fin" LOL.**_


	19. The Trials of Kurt and The Bling

_**Disclaimer: Glee does not belong to me**_

* * *

**_Oh, why you look so sad?  
Tears are in your eyes  
Come on and come to me now_**

_**Don't be ashamed to cry**_  
_**Let me see you through**_  
_**'Cause I've seen the dark side too**_

_**When the night falls on you  
You don't know what to do  
Nothin' you confess, could make me love you less**_

_**I'll stand by you,  
I'll stand by you  
Won't let nobody hurt you  
I'll stand by you**_

**_-The Pretenders_**

* * *

**_Tuesday_**

"I don't know if I can make the movie Blaine, I can't leave him. He's all over the place. He's gone from trashing the apartment to becoming obsessed with the computer," Kurt whispered into his phone. He glanced at Finn, who had fallen asleep draped over his keyboard.

"Obsessed with the computer? Why?" Kurt could hear the amused tone of Blaine's voice coming through the phone.

"I have no idea. He's been playing that song _The Day Before You_ over and over again and searching for something, but he won't tell me what. He's actually sleeping at his computer right now." He winced as Vlad jumped up on the couch, dropping a slobbery bone in his lap. One thing was for sure. Once Finn was feeling better, he was _definitely_ paying Kurt's dry cleaning bill.

"Maybe I should come over. A new perspective could help."

"No, Vlad and I are handling it," Kurt replied in a whisper, picking the bone off his lap by the tips of his fingers and throwing it in the direction of Vlad's castle. His tail wagging, Vlad jumped off the couch and ran after the bone. Quickly, Kurt got off the couch and walked towards the bedroom, settling down on Finn's bed.

"Vlad? Who's Vlad?"

"Vlad is Finn and Rachel's 6 pound Chihuahua, who knows me as _Uncle Kurt_." He rolled his eyes before continuing in a normal voice. "Apparently, my 'nephew' was named after Vlad the Impaler and is humping a stuffed bear as we speak." Through the open bedroom door, Kurt could just make out Vlad's tail bobbing up and down in the living room and knew what he was up to.

"I see. And Vlad humping a bear helps Finn how?" Blaine asked, barely able to contain his laughter.

"It's not funny, Blaine. The dog has barely left Finn's side and he's the_ only_ one Finn would talk to. He refused to talk to me for the longest time. I actually had to hide in the hallway and eavesdrop while he poured his heart out to Vlad." Kurt could hear Blaine's surprised gasp over the phone.

"He wouldn't talk to _you_? This must be really bad," Blaine commented, knowing how close the two were.

"Yeah, well, Finn owes me. That dog ruined two pairs of pants and almost ate my Gucci loafer when I tried to move the bear. Vlad was so protective of Finn; he wouldn't even let me sit on the same couch as Finn. We've since bonded when I took him shopping for some bling; because let's face it; with those two as parents, the poor dog would be destined to a wardrobe consisting of plaid and puppy wear." He snorted at his own joke, just as the sound of Vlad's tiny paws hitting the wooden floor in their quest to find Kurt hit his ears. "Speak of the devil, here comes Vlad now. He better not have that slimy bone with him." Kurt watched as Vlad jumped on the bed, settling comfortably next to Kurt, resting his head on Kurt's leg.

"So Finn's really heartbroken, huh?"

"It's not just him. I saw Rachel and she was just as bad. The two of them royally screwed up but both are too upset right now to make the first move to fix it. Neither of them will admit that they're madly in love with the other one. You saw them, it's _so_ obvious. He wouldn't let go of her shoe that she apparently threw at him, almost killing me when I tried to take it from him and she went to his softball game in disguise, staring at him the entire time. I don't think she even blinked she was staring so hard. Not that he noticed, he was too busy keeping his head in his hands and staring at the ground." Kurt began gently stroking Vlad's head, smiling as the Chihuahua's eyes immediately closed.

"Kurt, I gotta go, my meeting's about to start, but good luck. I really liked Rachel, she seemed good for him."

"Fine, I've got to get Vlad outside anyway, before Finn wakes up and refuses to let Vlad leave his side."

Saying their good byes, Kurt hung up his cell phone and looked at Vlad. "Well Vlad, what do you say we go for a walk?" He smiled when Vlad jumped up and started running in circles. "I guess that's a yes then."

He stood up and headed down the hall, Vlad running excitedly next to him. Checking to make sure Finn was still comatose over at the computer, he quickly scrawled a note for Finn, letting him know of his and Vlad's whereabouts, lest he should wake up and call the police to report Kurt for dognapping.

"Ready Vlad?" Kurt attached the leash to Vlad's collar, giving Finn one last glance before opening the door. Together, they headed out into the hallway, leaving a sleeping Finn dreaming of Rachel.

* * *

Kurt wrapped his new Burberry trench coat tighter around his waist, wishing Vlad would hurry up and pick a tree already. He'd already rejected 6 trees and a trash can as they walked towards the steps to get to the subway. He'd decided to take Vlad to Central Park, thinking the new sights and smells would do Vlad some good. Unlike Kurt, who was in a hurry to catch the subway, Vlad was taking his sweet time choosing the perfect tree to mark.

Seeing that Vlad finally selected a tree, Kurt grabbed him as soon as he was done and made a beeline for the subway stairs, hoping the subway hadn't just left. Luck seemed to be on his side, as he and Vlad only had to wait a few minutes for the next train.

They settled into a seat on the subway, Vlad sitting alertly on Kurt's lap, turning on his charm and attracting the attention of several women around him. Kurt rolled his eyes as the women cooed over Vlad, who happily thumped his tail and allowed the women to pet him.

"Show off," he muttered under his breath, watching as Vlad rolled over and let the women give him a belly rub. Kurt was forced to break up the love fest when he realized their stop was fast approaching. Apologizing to Vlad's fans, he grabbed the Ladies Man and stood up, walking over to the door.

Their destination being the lake, they emerged from the 72nd Street stop, pausing to let Vlad sniff a pole. Noticing a hot dog vendor on the corner of Central Park West and W 71st, Kurt grabbed Vlad, ready to indulge in his secret guilty pleasure. Even though he constantly lectured his father about eating right and watching his carb intake, Kurt could never resist the hot pretzels those street vendors sold. Figuring that he and Vlad deserved one for all they've been doing for Finn, he walked over and purchased two pretzels and a bottle of water.

Continuing on their way, Kurt stopped at a magazine kiosk just outside the entrance to the park, deciding to stock up on his fashion magazines. Once the Vendor handed Kurt his standard order of _Vogue, Cosmo, _and _Maquillage_, he happily continued on his way, ready to see what the Fashion Gods were predicting for Spring.

Idly, they strolled through the park, eventually reaching the lake, their journey made slower by the fact that Vlad had to stop and sniff every tree, leaf, or piece of garbage he saw.

Weaving his way through the sea of joggers, Kurt led Vlad over to an empty bench. He settled onto the bench, placing the magazines and water next to him. "Come here, Vlad, come see what Uncle Kurt got for you."

The instant the words left his lips, Kurt rolled his eyes; he'd clearly been spending too much time with Finn if he just referred to himself as _Uncle Kurt_.

Vlad, who'd been inspecting a suspicious leaf, obediently hopped up on the bench, and sat next to Kurt, who slipped him a piece of pretzel. "Alright Vlad, your fashion education continues. Let's start with _Vogue_."

Munching on his pretzel, Kurt tore through the new editions of _Vogue_ and _Cosmo_, occasionally commenting on the fashion trends to Vlad ("_See Vlad, this is what we call accessorizing, something neither Finn nor Rachel ever learned how to do_") and giving him small pieces of his pretzel. Finished with the first two, he placed them on the bench and picked up _Maquillage, _almost feeling like he was betraying Finn by even holding it.

His eyes scanned the cover. There, right in the upper left hand corner, just under the title, were the words "_How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. What you can do to make sure you never get dumped again!" _He glanced down at Vlad, whose bug eyes were staring up at him, begging for another piece of pretzel. His hands moved mechanically, ripping off another piece of pretzel for Vlad, while his eyes flickered back over to the cover. The hot pink letters were calling him, begging him to read the article.

No.

Out of respect for Finn, he wouldn't read the magazine. He didn't want to know what Rachel had subjected him to, afraid to see his brother humiliated in print. He placed the magazine on the bench, under the other two, proud that he was showing brotherly solidarity.

But then again…

_Maquillage _always had the best new beauty tips and products, and he was never one to skimp on his skin care routine. What if there was a new exfoliating product or routine? If he _didn't_ read the magazine, he'd miss it and his skin would suffer.

He glanced down at Vlad. "What do you think, Vlad? Should we read it or not? I don't want my skin care to suffer, but I don't want to betray Finn either." Vlad simply put his head on Kurt's lap, hoping for more pretzel. "You're no help."

He gave the dog another small piece of the pretzel, then reached next to him to get the bottle of water on the other side of the magazines. As he reached, the sleeve of his coat accidentally knocked the copies of _Vogue_ and_ Cosmo_ off the bench, leaving the copy of _Maquillage_ staring up at him.

It was a sign.

Kurt stared at it, an idea germinating in his mind. He couldn't read the article, but he _could_ read the rest of the magazine.

Yes. That's what he'd do. He'd simply skip over Rachel's article, reading only the articles about skin care. Or music. And maybe the fashion section.

He grabbed the magazine, telling Vlad, "Don't mention this to Finn and I'll buy you all the pretzels you want." Vlad wagged his tail excitedly at the word 'pretzel,' which Kurt took to mean he agreed and rewarded him with another small piece of pretzel.

Opening it, he eagerly began reading the first article he came to, becoming so engrossed that he failed to notice that Vlad had managed to steal the rest of the pretzel and was happily chewing it beside him.

* * *

Kurt was so focused on learning about all the new skin care tips and products that he'd temporarily forgotten about Rachel's article. He was about halfway through the magazine, Vlad snoring away next to him basking in the afternoon sun, when he turned the page and saw it.

Rachel's article was staring him in the face. He paled, dropping the article on his lap, waking Vlad up.

He'd promised himself he wasn't going to read that article and he wouldn't.

Calming himself, he picked the magazine back up, ready to turn the page. His eyes unwillingly fell on one of the text boxes scattered throughout the article. Unable to help himself, he looked at the bright green triangle shaped text box and read the words "_**Someday, someone will walk into your life and make you realize why it never worked out with anyone else.**__"_ Interested, he looked at the other two text boxes. A pink text box in the shape of a circle read "_**Life rushed into me from the moment he first touched me**_" while a yellow square one stated "**_I don't know how to fall out of love with him_**."

Kurt stared. Curiosity got the better of him and he turned the page, wanting to see how long the article was.

4 pages.

Rachel had written four pages. As he stared at the last page, his eyes were drawn to the last text box, which simply read "_**This is my last article for Maquillage**__."_

Intrigued, Kurt turned back to the beginning and began to read.

* * *

"Huh." Kurt sat back, the magazine falling from his hands, hitting Vlad on the head. The Chihuahua sat up, looking at Kurt, who was staring out at the lake, thinking furiously. He was thinking so hard that he wasn't even annoyed when Vlad climbed into his lap and put his paws on his shoulders, licking his face.

Kurt ignored him, attempting to process what he'd just read. He'd been right when he'd told Finn that it wasn't a game to Rachel. This article was evidence of that. Rachel had poured her heart into it, laying it all out on the line. She'd taken the bold first step of attempting to reach out to Finn and explain her part in all this.

The funny thing was, he felt like it was a message to him too. She had to have known that there was very little chance of Finn actually seeing the article, but it was very likely that Kurt would.

The ball was in his hands. Should he show Finn or not? If he did, would Finn even been ready to read it and understand what Rachel was trying to say? Finn was so all over the place the last 24 hours, Kurt honestly wasn't sure how he'd react to the article.

Deep in thought, he gathered up his stuff and slowly started the trek towards the subway, Vlad in tow.

* * *

"Kurt! What a pleasant surprise! Blaine's just finishing up a meeting; he'll be with you in a minute," Blaine's secretary Denise announced, gesturing towards the posh seats nearby.

Kurt picked up Vlad, prepared to sit and wait. He'd decided to get Blaine's opinion on the article, hoping he could help him decide when to show it to Finn.

"And who's this adorable little guy?" Denise cooed at Vlad, who once again went into Sweet Chihuahua mode, allowing Denise to hold him as she petted him.

Kurt smirked. This dog got more girls in one day than Finn had ever gotten. Finn should have invested in a small dog long ago; maybe his dating record would have been a little better. "This is Vlad, my brother's dog. We're hanging out for the afternoon."

"Well Vlad, aren't you just the cutest little thing I've ever seen! You look so handsome! Look at the jewelry you're sporting!" she squealed, as the phone beeped once. Still holding Vlad, Denise picked up the phone. "Blaine says you can go on down to his office, and he'll be there in a moment."

Denise relucantly handed Vlad over. Kurt slowly made his way down to Blaine's office, having to stop several times so different women could pet Vlad. Eventually he reached Blaine's office, where he settled onto his couch and placed Vlad on the floor, who promptly took off, exploring all the new smells.

"Kurt? What's going on?" Blaine asked, looking concerned as he sat next to Kurt. "Is this the famous Vlad?"

Blaine looked down and laughed as a blinged out Vlad emerged from behind Blaine's desk, sniffing around the base before coming over to sniff his shoes.

"I want you to read this. It's Rachel's latest article. Just read it and tell me what you think." Kurt shoved the magazine into a confused Blaine's hands, just as Vlad finished his inspection of Blaine's shoes and jumped up to sit on Blaine's lap. "What the hell? How come he likes you right away? I had to bribe him with shopping and biscuits, but he just smells your shoes and you're in?"

Blaine shrugged, stroking Vlad's head as he began reading the article. Kurt stood up and walked over to the window, admiring the view while he waited.

After a few minutes, Blaine whistled as he put the article down. "She really put it all out there. You're sure he hasn't seen it?"

Kurt gave him a look. "When we left, he was comatose over his computer. He'd been up all night playing that song _The Day Before_ _You _and looking for something on the computer. You know what a heavy sleeper he is; it's likely that he's still out cold. As for his having seen the article, you really think he reads _Maquillage_? His reading interests don't extend beyond the _Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition_ and the occasional _Maxim_."

"Alright, it was a stupid question. But shouldn't he see this? It's totally about him. You're going to have to show him." Blaine smiled, watching as Vlad rolled over onto his back, allowing Blaine to give him a belly rub. "That song obviously means something to both of them, since she mentions it too."

"So you think I _should_ show it to him? But that's the thing; I don't know _when_ to show it to him. He's too all over the place. He went from drop dead drunk to trashing an exquisitely decorated apartment to being obsessed with the computer and a song. If I show it to him at the wrong time, he's not going to realize that this is Rachel making the first step towards reconciliation, or at least an explanation. He's got to be in the right frame of mind."

"What does Carole say about all this?" Blaine continued rubbing Vlad's belly, grinning as he hit the right spot and Vlad's leg started twitching.

Kurt sat back down on the couch, picking the magazine back up and glancing at the brightly colored text boxes again. "She doesn't know anything about it, neither does my dad."

"I think she needs to know. After you and Rachel left Sunday morning, she was talking to Finn about planning a get-together with Rachel's dads."

Kurt put his head in his hands, not looking forward to making that phone call. "Carole is going to be _so_ upset. Maybe I should call my dad and have him break it to her."

"Kurt, she may be able to get Finn talking. They've always been close. Call her and fill her in now. Maybe she'll have some advice."

"You're right, I know you are, but this still sucks. Sure you don't want to make the call?"

"Call her Kurt."

Sighing, Kurt pulled out his cell phone.

"Hello, Dad?"

* * *

Kurt was beginning to feel like Vlad's bitch. He'd _finally_ managed to drag Vlad away from Blaine's secretary only to have Vlad be the star of the subway again. Since Blaine's office was all the way downtown in the Empire State Building, Vlad had had plenty of time to gather followers as the subway traveled back uptown. He'd simply sat upright on Kurt's lap, and within moments had attracted the attention of some tourists and little kids, all of whom wanted to pet _the sweet Chihuahua_. Apparently, it was Kurt's job to keep Vlad from falling off his lap while Vlad stretched across it and allowed his fans to pet him.

At Carole's request, they'd make a stop at Zabar's and picked up the ingredients for Finn's favorite meal and dessert. Vlad sat upright in the seat of the shopping cart, watching Kurt as he gathered the requested supplies. His position in the shopping cart allowed him to gather even more Groupies, which hampered Kurt's ability to gather the ingredients, pay and get back to Finn's quickly. At first, Kurt had been gracious, but by the 10th person who'd stop to extol the virtues of _'the adorable Chihuahua and his jewelry,'_ he was starting to get annoyed.

He was just putting a package of Oreos into the cart when yet another Groupie approached.

"Oh what a sweet dog!"

Sighing, he straightened up, watching as Vlad went into performance mode. The woman immediately began fingering his "V" charm with one hand, while she ran a finger from her other hand gently between his eyes. "Aren't you adorable? Daddy dresses you so well!"

"He's not mine. He's my brother's. His name's Vlad and I'm dog-sitting for the day. But I will take the credit for his choice of collar," Kurt rattled off automatically, hoping he could get rid of this one quicker than the last few. He resigned himself to making small talk as the woman cooed over Vlad, whose tail thumped happily.

Kurt was surprised when Vlad had a sudden change of heart. His tail stopped wagging and he stood up in the cart, emitting a low growl. Startled, the woman took a step back, bumping into the woman who'd come up next to her and was the cause of Vlad's mood swing.

"Kurt! How funny running into you here! I didn't know you knew my cousin Christina!" Allie exclaimed, ignoring Vlad's growls as she gestured between Kurt and Christina. Vlad continued growling, the hair on his back slowly rising.

"I don't know him; I was just petting his brother's adorable dog. How do you know Kurt?" Christina asked, wanting to keep petting Vlad, but afraid to touch him.

"Oh, I work for Kurt's brother Finn," Allie replied uneasily, hoping Christina wouldn't say anything when she heard the name Finn.

Christina looked at Allie knowingly, all too familiar with Allie's long standing crush on Finn. She turned her attention back to Kurt, thinking that they might be able to get some good dirt on Finn from him. She glanced down at Vlad, who'd begun growling louder. "What's with Vlad?"

"I'm not sure. He's usually the Ladies Man, the only time I've ever seen him like this is around you." Kurt answered, unsure of why Vlad had taken such a dislike to Allie.

"No, he did it to Santana too, when he was sitting on Artie's lap. He almost bit her." Allie looked down at Vlad; his dislike of her would make it really hard when she moved into Finn's apartment after she became Mrs. Finn Hudson.

"Santana? Well that makes sense then…" Christina snorted. Seeing Kurt's confused face, she launched into an explanation. "Santana and I went to high school together. Seems that as the face cleared up and the weight came off…the bitchiness came out."

"_Really?"_ Kurt couldn't help himself. Ignoring Vlad's constant growls, he indulged in some gossip. "I've heard Finn, Mike and Artie talking about her _'smoking hot body'_ a million times. Do they know this?" He was so interested that he didn't notice Allie's face darken when he mentioned Finn having checked out Santana's body.

Christina watched as Vlad relaxed slightly when Allie took a step backwards. "I doubt it. Santana doesn't like anyone to know of her past. She usually ignores people from high school. _Especially_ people who knew her before…" she said, gesturing to her chest and smirking.

"NO! Finn, Mike and Artie are constantly talking about her chest!" Kurt exclaimed, this time noticing the crestfallen expression on Allie's face before she glanced down at her own small chest. He couldn't wait to tell Finn about Santana's improvements, since he was hell bent on destroying Santana.

"Oh, yes. I was meeting Allie for lunch one day at her office, and I ran into Santana. She almost ran the other way, but not before I got a good look at her enhancements. I've got the pictures from high school to prove it. Back then, her best friend was Burger King." She glanced at Allie, noticing that she'd taken another step backwards, causing Vlad to relax even more. "I've told Allie to stay away from her. She's just a bitch with a capital B. Maybe then Vlad would like you." Tentatively, she reached out to Vlad, who allowed Christina to pet him.

Inspiration hit Kurt like a bolt of thunder. "You've got pictures, seriously?" When Christina nodded, he reached into his messenger bag and pulled out a business card. "I'm going to give you my business card. Would you be able to send those pictures to my email? I'm a buyer at Bergdorf Goodman and if you can send me some pictures of Santana, I can give both of you major wardrobe discounts. I'll even help you, if you want."

Interested, Allie took a step closer, making Vlad go back into growling mode. "Really? A new wardrobe?" Maybe if she got Kurt to help her, he could get Finn to ask her out.

"Ooo Allie! Maybe if you got new clothes, Finn would finally-" Christina echoed Allie's thoughts out loud, stopping herself too late when she saw Allie's horrified face. "-give you a promotion," she finished lamely.

"Of course, you can't tell _anyone_ at work," Kurt emphasized, pretending he didn't know what had just happened. It figures, Finn was too oblivious to notice that his secretary was in love with him.

When Allie nodded vigorously, he turned to Christina. "Right, well send me those pictures ASAP. Vlad and I have to get going. My mom and dad are coming into the city for dinner at Finn's apartment, so we need to get over there."

With a final promise from Christina and Allie to send the pictures and not say anything, Kurt and Vlad hurried away, waving goodbye over his shoulder.

"I take back everything bad I've said about you being a Ladies Man. If it wasn't for you and your act, we wouldn't have gotten the good gossip about Santana. Let's go get you a treat from the dog aisle and then go home," he whispered as he wheeled the cart towards the dog toys.

He couldn't _wait_ to tell Finn.

* * *

Carole leaned her head against her husband, willing the train to move faster. She needed to get to her son.

Shocked didn't begin to describe Carole's emotions when Kurt had called. Floored would be a more accurate description. Her mind replayed that conversation in her head, mentally trying to prepare herself for what she was going to encounter in that apartment.

"_Carole? Kurt's on the phone, he wants to speak to you about Finn. He sounds kind of weird." Burt handed the phone to Carole, concern etched across his face for both his sons._

_Confused, Carole put down the picture of Finn and Rachel she'd been looking at and took the phone. "Hello?"_

"_Hi, Carole."_

"_Oh, Kurt, I'm so glad you called! I got that picture of Finn and Rachel you sent me. They look fabulous together! I just printed it out, but we need to go shopping for the right frame." She caressed the picture of the two of them lovingly, hoping she'd be framing a wedding picture soon._

_Kurt was silent on the other end of the phone, making Carole start to get nervous. "Kurt?"_

"_Can you…can you come to the city tonight? You and Dad?" The words rushed out of Kurt's mouth._

"_Kurt? What's going on? Where's Finn? Is he ok?" Carole asked, beginning to panic. She glanced at her husband, his words 'he wants to speak to you about Finn' echoing in her head._

"_Finn's at his apartment. Physically, he's fine." _

_Relief flooded through Carole's body as the images of Finn lying on a hospital bed hooked up to all sorts of machines left her mind. "Oh, thank God, he's ok. What's wrong then? Is it Rachel?" she asked, hoping Kurt would say it wasn't._

_Kurt spilled out the whole story, his words causing Carole's head to spin. Bet…Evil coworker….Rachel using him…Trashing the apartment he worked so hard to decorate…only talking to Vlad, who sat with him all night…Won't shower…Day Before You…Article…_

_Carole had hung up the phone, a frown on her face as she turned to her husband. "Get your coat on. We're going to Manhattan."_

With every mile closer the train got to Manhattan, Carole's worries about her son grew. The fact that it had been the just the two of them for so long caused her to be an expert in all things Finn and have a deep rooted connection to him. Based on what Kurt had told her, she was going to need to pull out every motherly memory and trick she'd ever used on him to get him to open up, something her boy was not known for doing.

She glanced down at the article clutched tightly in her hand. As soon as Kurt had mentioned Rachel's article to her on the phone, she'd made sure she bought a copy of _Maquillage_ when they'd gotten to the train station. She'd read the article several times, and she had no doubt that Rachel spoke the truth. She felt convinced that Rachel truly loved her son, but until she could speak with Finn and see what he was feeling, she planned to keep the contents of the article between herself, Burt and Kurt.

She was glad Finn had Kurt to help him through this, and although she still wasn't entirely sure who Vlad was, she was happy to know he was helping her baby boy.

* * *

Kurt opened the door to Finn's apartment quietly; unsure of what Finn was up to, or if he was even awake. He placed the groceries on the ground as he bent down to unhook Vlad's leash. Handing Vlad the squeaky newspaper he'd bought, he watched as Vlad ran to his bowl to take a drink before running in the direction of the living room, the newspaper hanging from his mouth.

He picked up the groceries, walking them into the kitchen, keeping one ear out for Finn. Not hearing anything, he headed towards the living room.

Finn was still draped over his computer, sound asleep. Vlad, unable to reach Finn's lap, was parked at his feet, wanting to show Finn his newspaper. Kurt watched the Chihuahua, newspaper in mouth, stand on his hind legs and scratch Finn's calves several times trying to get his attention.

Kurt smiled as Vlad gave up and stretched, before heading into his castle for a well deserved nap.

* * *

Finn was _still_ sleeping when Burt and Carole finally arrived 45 minutes later. Kurt had thought about taking a nap himself, but had changed his mind when he realized that his parents would be arriving soon. He'd spent the time texting back and forth with Mercedes, who was babysitting Rachel. Apparently Rachel had locked herself in her bedroom, and like Finn, was chained to her laptop, refusing to be interrupted for any reason.

"Where is he?" Carole demanded as soon as she walked in. Kurt stepped out of the kitchen, shushing her. Placing a finger to his lips, he led them towards the living room. He watched as Carole and Burt took in the room, each noticing different things.

Burt's eyes roamed over the remains of the coffee table, a broken lamp, shards of glass all over the place, and a random Ladies Home Journal on the floor. He gazed curiously at the large castle next to the TV and a massive stuffed bear lying on its side near the window. He squinted, trying to figure out what the bear's shirt said. His eyes then found Finn, drooling over his keyboard, light snores coming out of his mouth.

Carole only saw one thing: her son. She took in the way his unshaven face was tear and blood stained, and noticed immediately how fitful his sleep was.

Kurt started to step over the remains of the coffee table to wake up Finn. Carole reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"No," she said as she slipped into Mother knows Best mode. "Let him sleep. We'll start making dinner. That will wake him up, and in the meantime, you can fill us in on everything."

"Sounds good to me," Kurt replied as he sat at the counter, quickly filling his parents in on what had happened. "So that's basically it. Vlad and I have been with him since Sunday night."

"What's Vlad like? Does he work with Finn too?" Burt asked, as he cut up some carrots. "I've never heard him mention Vlad and that's not a name you forget."

Kurt snorted. They thought Vlad was _human._ He was going to have some fun with this.

He pretended to think about it, before shaking his head. "He doesn't have a job. Vlad's a real Ladies Man. I spent all day with him and he just expected me to stand there while the women fawned all over him."

"He's unemployed?" Burt repeated, glancing at Carole, who'd been marinating the chicken.

"Yeah, but you should see his house. It's huge, like a _castle_," Kurt replied, barely able to contain his laughter.

Carole pulled out a bottle of Grey Goose Vodka out of her bag. "I don't know who this Vlad is, but I felt like I needed to get him this as a Thank You for helping Finn, since there wasn't any time to make him cookies."

Kurt smirked. "I don't think he'll like that. I've only ever seen him drink water."

Carole's mouth dropped open. "Oh my God. I never even thought of him possibly being an Alcoholic!" She started to place the vodka back in her bag, only to have it snatched out of her hand by Kurt.

"I"ll take that. After the day I had with Vlad, I need it. You wouldn't believe the amount of women he got." He took the cap off of the vodka and took a deep swig, sputtering a little before he continued. "All thanks to me, I might add, after I gave him a makeover. Finn thought he looked like a rapper, but as usual, he was wrong. My wardrobe changes drew the women to him like a duck to water."

Carole and Burt watched in amazement as Kurt took another drink from the bottle and placed it down on the table. He wiped his mouth with the back of his designer shirt, burping loudly.

"So when do we get to meet him? I really want to thank him," Carole asked anxiously.

"Here comes Vlad now," Kurt announced, hiccupping slightly. Carole and Burt both turned towards the doorway, but saw no one. Confused, they looked back towards Kurt.

Kurt walked a little unsteadily towards the doorway and bent down, scooping up Vlad. "Grandma, Grandpa, meet Vlad."

* * *

As Carole had predicted, Finn awoke as soon as the pungent smells hit his nose. He stretched his neck, sore from sleeping hunched over on a chair for so long. He felt scratching on his leg, and looked down to see Vlad, a rubber newspaper in his mouth, attempting to climb up on his lap.

"Hey Vlad, what's that you got?"he asked dully, as he picked Vlad up and turned _'The Day Before You'_ back on.

Standing up, he walked over to the couch, plopping himself down on it, depositing Vlad on his lap. "I don't know, man. I spent all night looking for a quote, but I haven't found the right one yet." He picked Vlad up as he scooted down the couch, happy to stretch his long limbs after sleeping for so long in the chair. He replaced Vlad on his lap, feeling the dog walk up to his stomach to settle there, newspaper next to him. Finn closed his eyes, listening to the song and letting memories of Rachel fill his brain, as his fingers began stroking Vlad's soft fur.

He was surprised when he felt Vlad jump up excitedly and stand on his stomach, yipping happily. He opened one eye as he felt someone settle on the couch next to him, expecting to see Kurt. Instead, he watched as Vlad grabbed his newspaper and walked down his body to jump excitedly into his mom's lap.

His _mom's_ lap? What the hell?

"Mom? What are you doing here?" he asked, throwing a suspicious glance at Kurt, who quickly walked in the room and then out again, drinking deeply from a bottle of something.

"Baby," Carole simply said, holding her arms out to Finn. He watched as Vlad jumped off his mom's lap and yipped at her feet before running over to his bear and running in circles. When Carole didn't move off the couch, he attempted to drag the massive bear over to her, before giving up and starting to hump the bear, causing Carole to smile and Finn to groan.

Unable to help himself, he threw himself into the safety of his mother's outstretched arms and felt her warmth and love envelope him as she held him tightly, running a soothing hand over the back of his head, trying to calm him as she placed kisses on his head. She could feel the sobs emanating from his throat, causing her heart to break a little and ache right along with his.

"Shh, Huck," she murmured, using her childhood nickname for him. He'd always been upset when there was never any little trinkets with "Finn" inscribed on them, so when he'd found out that there was a whole book with his name in it, he'd been thrilled, and the moniker had grown from there. It became a special bond between mother and son, a name that was only to be used by the two of them.

Carole just kept holding her overgrown baby boy, stroking his hair, waiting for him to finally open up and talk to her. She knew from past experience that trying to pry his thoughts out of him before he was ready just made him shut down more, so summoning all the mom instincts she possessed, she held him just like she did when he was little and had been scared of the dark, not caring that he was now twenty eight years old.

They were silent for a while, Finn getting comfort from just his mother's presence. He had thought that he was getting better; he was at least able to sleep now, even if his dreams were filled with Rachel, but as soon as he saw his mother, it was as if he was five again and had scraped his knee on the playground.

"I screwed up. I'm sorry, Mom," he said between sobs.

Carole pulled him tighter against her."Finn, you just made a mistake, and mistakes can always be fixed."

He pulled away from her, the sadness in his eyes making her heart break a little more."Not this. You didn't see her face when she realized about the bet. She just got quiet and then exploded with tears. I never wanted to make her feel like that Mom. I swear. I hate to see her cry."

He allowed himself to be pulled back into the comfort of his mother's arms, repeating _"I didn't mean to make her cry,"_ over and over again.

Carole simply held him; silently cursing the people who'd thought of this bet and ruined the best thing in Finn's life.

* * *

Kurt and Burt finished making dinner while Carole and Finn were talking. "So you mean to tell me that Rachel's locked herself in her room and is chained to her computer too?" Burt asked as he got the salad bowls out of the cabinet, wincing as he heard _'The Day Before You'_ finish and then immediately start playing again.

"That's what Mercedes said," Kurt told him, glancing at the text message Mercedes had sent. "It says '_Rachel locked herself in her room. Chained to computer. Won't be interrupted and won't say what she's doing._'" He shook his head as he grabbed the silverware. "Hopefully she's reading about interior decorating online. Have you seen what's she done to my carefully chosen color palette? Castles and stuffed bears don't go well with Dior Gray." He sighed. "It's ridiculous. They're both destroyed, but instead of contacting each other, they both run to their computers. It's not normal."

"Normal is only a setting on a washing machine, Kurt. They need to deal with this in their own way. Don't forget, you're dealing with two of the most incredibly stubborn individuals I've ever seen. If Rachel is just as destroyed as Finn, they'll find their way back to each other soon," Burt replied, opening the refrigerator and getting out the soda and condiments.

Both Burt and Kurt looked up when they heard distinct footsteps coming towards the kitchen. Knowing that it was Finn because he'd refused to take off his cleats last night, Kurt put his finger up to his lips to silence Burt.

"What did you say about Rachel?" he demanded as he appeared in the doorway, holding Vlad, Carole right behind him. He stared from Burt to Kurt, who was looking down at his phone again, waiting.

Burt, taking in Finn's rumpled appearance and blood streaked face framed by the beginnings of a beard, decided it would be better to tell Finn. He was about to open his mouth to tell him, but was interrupted immediately by Kurt.

Kurt, apparently, had other ideas. "No, Finn. You need to take a shower first, then we'll tell you," he replied firmly.

"Kurt! Don't mess with me right now. What did you say about Rachel?" he threatened, taking a step into the kitchen, his cleats clinking noisily against the tile floor.

"Finn. I wouldn't threaten me. I have information that can help you with your other problem, but I'm _not_ going to tell you until you take a shower. You smell homeless, Finn. _Homeless_." Kurt replied, wrinkling his nose. "Give me Vlad before he starts to smell like you."

Finn, who caught onto to the fact that Kurt was talking about Santana immediately, handed him Vlad and marched towards the shower.

"What was that about?" Burt asked, confused by Finn's about face.

"Let's just say that Vlad and I had a very productive trip to the supermarket," Kurt responded vaguely as he turned his attention to Carole. "Did he say anything to you? Did you show him the article?"

"No, he's not ready yet. Maybe after dinner."

* * *

Dinner wasn't the merry affair it had been the other day. Carole, Burt and Kurt each attempted various conversation starters, but every attempt fell flat when a freshly showered Finn refused to join in. He sat there silently, Vlad on his lap, pushing his food around his plate, not eating anything.

"I still want to know."

Carole, Kurt and Burt turned to stare at Finn, almost missing the words he's whispered.

"What Finny?" Carole asked, putting down her fork and glancing at Burt and Kurt.

"I still want to know," Finn repeated, looking at Kurt. "I heard you two talking about Mercedes and Rachel. What did you say about her?"

Kurt sighed. "Look Finn, I've told you before how destroyed she was. When I went over there yesterday, an entire floor had a petition against her and she had a wine bottle permanently attached to her hand, but all she was concerned about was how _you_ were."

Finn looked down. That was so _Rachel _to be concerned with others, even though she was a mess. "And?" he whispered, still not looking up.

Kurt exchanged looks with Burt and Carole, unsure if he should tell Finn everything. He decided not to mention the softball game disguise. "Well, as we speak, she has locked herself in her bedroom, working furiously on something on her computer. She won't let anyone in the room and claims she can't be interrupted."

"But that doesn't tell me how she _feels_," he insisted, finally looking up at the other three.

Carole looked at Kurt and her husband. This was it. Finn was finally ready to talk. Of course, he'd chosen an awkward time to do it, but he wouldn't be Finn if he didn't. "What do you mean?"

"I know Rachel. She doesn't open up to everyone. Yeah, I know I've only known her for ten days, but I _know _Rachel. She trusted me enough to tell me things she didn't even share with her closest friends. I know that she wants to be a serious novelist, but she's afraid to try; she keeps notebooks full of ideas hidden in her apartment because she thinks her ideas are stupid. She secretly wonders about the mother she never met and what she inherited from her. She's insecure. She's annoyingly stubborn. I can tell that the one relationship she's had has screwed her up so bad that she actually convinced herself that she's not beautiful." He glanced around the table pleadingly. "Don't you see? All this stuff happened before she met me. She met me and felt she could trust me. And what do I do? I betray her. I've let her down in so many ways. I couldn't even find a quote that I liked, like she asked me to."

Running a hand idly over Vlad's head, he looked down. "I know when she's thinking hard about something because she always twists a lock of her hair around her finger. I know that when she truly finds something funny her whole face lights up and I know that she'd do anything to help her friends. She has a special smile for when she sees me, and her obsession with quotes, her love of British TV and her stubbornness all combine to make her _Rachel." _He looked up at the group, meeting their eyes steadily. "And even though she used me for an article, I know that I'm in love with her, even the part that insists on calling me Finny-Bear. Shut up, Kurt," he added, correctly guessing that Kurt was about to comment on Rachel's choice of nickname.

"Have you told her this?" Burt asked.

"She's not gonna want to see me. She threw a shoe at me. This was nothing more than a job assignment for her."

Carole didn't say anything, but nodded at Kurt, who stood up and walked into the living room. He quickly returned, holding a magazine. He glanced at Carole for a second before shoving the magazine in Finn's hand. "Here. There's something in there you need to read."

Finn glanced down at the magazine. _Maquillage._ He threw it back on the table. "Are you insane? I don't need to read it. I lived it."

"Finn, just read it." Kurt picked up the magazine, attempting to put it back in Finn's hands.

"Why? So I can read about how stupid I was for thinking I meant something to Rachel? No thanks, Kurt."

"Baby, you _need_ to read it. Trust me," Carole pleaded, putting her hand over Finn's. "You and Vlad can go in the living room while we clean up and read the article."

"NO." Frustrated, he picked up Vlad and stormed off. Heading into the living room, he plopped into his usual spot on the couch, settling Vlad next to him. Vlad jumped off the couch, and ran into his castle. He emerged a second later, his rubber steak clasped firmly in his mouth. Jumping up on the couch, he deposited the steak on Finn's lap, before climbing on himself.

Finn flipped on the TV, hoping to find some kind of sporting event. Automatically, he reached out to put his feet up on the coffee table, remembering too late that he was no longer the owner of a coffee table. Surfing through the channels, he eventually found a Knicks game.

"Who are they playing?"

Finn turned his head to see Burt holding two beers standing in the entrance way. "Cleveland," he responded dully.

Burt said nothing, sitting down next to Finn and handing him a beer. "Cleveland's not the same since LeBron left," he finally commented.

Finn only shrugged in response. Both men kept their eyes on the TV, occasionally taking a drink from their beers and yelling at the TV.

Out of the corner of his eye, Burt noticed that Finn was mostly playing with the beer bottle in his hand. While Finn normally went to Carole when he had a problem, over time he'd started coming to Burt more and more for advice about women. Judging from the way he was gripping the beer bottle, Burt sensed that this was one of those times. He waited patiently for Finn to gather his thoughts.

"Sorry we can't go to the game tomorrow," Finn said in a low voice, not looking at Burt. He continued playing with his beer bottle, watching Vlad as he chewed his steak.

"Eh, I've lived this long without going to a World Series game, I think I'll survive. We can just watch it on TV," Burt replied, staring at the screen, watching as Amar'e Stoudemire dunked the ball in the net.

Finn leaned his head back, and exhaled. "God, I really screwed up, didn't I? Why can't anything ever be easy?"

"Because then it wouldn't be Life. Welcome to Reality, Finn, where nothing is ever easy and you can really get screwed, and not in a good way." Burt raised his beer bottle in mock salute before taking a swig.

"I don't even know how this bet started. I was just sitting at the table and then the next thing I know, I'm involved in this stupid bet and as usual, it blew up in my face. I couldn't even explain to Rachel how it became so much more than a bet when she asked me about it at the Gala. "

Frustrated, Finn grabbed the steak from Vlad and flung it across the room, sending Vlad scurrying after it before retreating to his castle. Indignant at the treatment of his steak, he watched Finn and Burt from the door of his castle.

Burt saw his chance and put his beer down to adjust his hat nervously. "Look Finn. You're hurting and it sucks. I get it. Hell, I've been there, we all have. The bottom line is what are you going to do about it? I've sat here and I've listened to what Kurt and Mom have told me about the whole situation and I've kept my mouth shut. But the way I see it, you've got two choices. You can just sit on the couch forever with your dog, losing the best thing that ever happened to you, or you can try to do something about it. I still don't understand everything that happened, but I can tell you this. One of the best things in life is finding that one person who sees all the crap you're bringing to the table and in spite of it, still thinks you're amazing."

Finn turned his head to stare at him, interested in what he was saying. Burt, seeing that he had Finn's attention, quickly continued.

"I'm a simple guy. I don't know Opera from Oprah and I can't figure out _The New York Times _crossword puzzle_. _Your mom knows this and accepts me anyway. You're a stubborn ass, you're clumsy and you snore like a freight train, but Rachel still thought you were the greatest thing she'd ever seen, bet or no bet."

He held up a hand to stop Finn, who'd opened his mouth to reply.

Burt once again took his hat off, adjusting the fit on his head before continuing. "You can fake a lot of things, but you can't fake emotion like that and based on what I saw this weekend, I think the feeling was mutual. You claim you know Rachel. Well, it seems to me all that stuff you said about Rachel before is what I was talking about. All of that is the crap she's bringing to the table and you still want to be with her."

He once again held up a hand, stopping Finn from interrupting again.

"Kurt's the only one who's seen both of you since this all happened, and according to him, you're both equally hurting, but pride is stopping both of you from ending this standoff. Yeah, she used you for an article, and you used her for a bet, but you know what? It seems to be the kick in the ass both of you needed to be happy. Don't lose that happiness because of pride. You can lose your pride over someone you love, but don't lose someone you love because of your pride. There's a quote for you."

Finn stared at him open mouthed. He knew Burt was right, but it didn't make it any easier. He just wished he knew how Rachel was really feeling. "Do you think I should read the article?"

Burt looked at him over the rim of his beer bottle. "Look, I can't tell you what to do, but you've been bitching about wanting to know how Rachel feels. Isn't that what writers are supposed to do? Write about their feelings or something? If you really want to know how she feels, that seems like a good place to start to me."

Finn stood up, running a hand through his hair. Silently, he turned and walked out of the room, Vlad at his heels. He turned and paused at the door. "Burt?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks." Finn walked back towards the kitchen, Vlad at his heels. Ignoring Kurt and his mom, who were doing the dishes, he grabbed the magazine off the counter, and walked down the hall towards his bedroom, closing the door behind him. He settled into the pillows, Vlad stretched out next to him, his head resting on Finn's leg.

Opening the magazine to the page Kurt had marked, he began to read.

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_**A/N: A couple of things: 'Normal is only a setting on a washing machine' is a quote I found online, but I have no idea where it's from. Also, I know it was super mean of me NOT to include the article in this chapter, but it's coming I swear! Rachel and the girls will be back in the next chapter, as will Puck, since I know many people are asking where the hell he is. Thanks goes out to SciFiMom2000 as usual for her ideas, critiques and tweets!**_


	20. Reflections and Reality

**Disclaimer: Glee is still not mine :(**

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**_"Relationships don't work the way they do on television and in the movies: Will they, won't they, and then they finally do and they're happy forever - gimme a break. Nine out of ten of them end because they weren't right for each other to begin with, and half the ones that get married get divorced, anyway. And I'm telling you right now, through all this stuff, I have not become a cynic, I haven't. Yes, I do happen to believe that love is mainly about pushing chocolate-covered candies and, you know, in some cultures, a chicken. You can call me a sucker, I don't care, 'cause I do...believe in it. Bottom line...is the couples that are truly right for each other wade through the same crap as everybody else, but, the big difference is, they don't let it take 'em down." _**

**– _Scrubs_**

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**_Still Tuesday night…_**

Finn stared at the words on the page, hardly believing what he'd just read. He rubbed the back of his neck, not quite able to figure out what the feelings swirling around in his heart were. As he'd read through Rachel's article, a thousand different emotions had surged through his veins and were now all jumbled around in his body. Each page felt as if she was talking directly to him, as if it was written in a secret language only the two of them could understand. Almost as if he needed to prove to himself that the words on the page were true, he turned to the beginning and began to read it again.

**_How to: Lose a Guy in 10 Days_**

**_By Rachel Berry_**

_**Dear Readers**:_

_As you can see from the headline, the topic of this month's article is about guys. But let me clear something up for you. The article you are about to read is not the article that I was expecting to write, nor is it the type of article you're probably expecting to read in Maquillage. When I sat down to write this month's article, the words flowed from my pen, forming themselves into sentences and paragraphs I didn't know needed to be written. I had intended to make this article a helpful life lesson about why women get dumped for my readers, but what I ended up doing was teaching myself a major lesson. _

_I once read that "__Only one person finds the way to your heart. The others just lead the way." I don't know that I ever fully understood its connotations until a few days ago. Thinking about it, I realized that it correlates perfectly to my most favorite quote, from the song "The Day Before You" by Rascal Flatts, which goes "Oh but Heaven knows those years without you/Were shaping my heart for the day that I found you/If you're the reason for all that I've been through/Then I'm thankful for the day before you."__ I always loved that quote, simply for the romanticism of it, meaning that the broken road everyone must travel leads them to where they are truly meant to be and who they are truly meant to be with. But what happens if you're like me and you guard your heart fiercely? What happens when that person you're meant to be with arrives and there are obstacles in the way?_

_I know I'm not making much sense, but in order for you to fully understand this month's "How to" article, I need to take you on a journey of my past. I'm sure a lot of my readers will be able to relate to my story, but it still doesn't make it any less embarrassing to tell. So Readers, settle in and get comfortable because you're about to become acquainted with a Rachel Berry very few people know._

**_-RB_**

_I've always been a planner. I'd like to say it's limited to choosing which outfits I'll wear for the week, but it's not. From an early age, planning was prevalent in my life. As a child, while other girls were playing Barbies, I was using my Crayolas to map out my life. After being the most popular girl in High School, I was going to graduate from college, immediately get the job of my dreams and make tons of money. At the ripe old age of 25, my Prince Charming would suddenly appear in my life, sweep me off my feet, and marry me on the spot. We'd have twin boys and 2 girls (Frank, Matthew, Lena and Annalisa), and exactly 1 cat and 2 dogs. I can still see my 8 year old self, busy making that life plan, believing wholeheartedly that this was the exact path my life would take. So imagine my surprise when I was __**not**__ the most popular girl in school and 25 came and went with no sign of Prince Charming. How could this happen? I'd planned everything out. Well my friends, to quote the immortal John Lennon: __**Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans**__._

_I'd like to say that while I was not the most popular girl in my high school, I was at least in with the In Crowd. I wasn't. Far from it actually. A self proclaimed Book Nerd, I was the one volunteering to help the Teacher and my Saturday ritual of going to the Library was not to be trifled with. While I did have my small group of friends, none of us ever reached that ultimate pinnacle of popularity: an invitation to a popular kid's party. Every Friday, as the cheerleaders and jocks were getting trashed at someone's house, my friends and I were having sleepovers, where we would plan our weddings and do our hair while watching chick flicks. We'd spend hours discussing the boys at school, although none of us had ever actually been on a date._

_To say I was floored when "Brian" (__**name changed**__) started talking to me would be an understatement. He was everything I wasn't. He was handsome and popular, even though he was a theater geek and not a jock. His voice was amazing and he was not shy about his plans for the future, which involved UCLA and Broadway. Naturally, I assumed he was my soul mate. After all, he was a planner like me. The fact that the only interaction we'd ever had had been when I loaned him a pencil was only a minor detail. He had a standing invitation to all the cool parties, and the parties thrown at his own house were legendary. Not that I would know, having never been invited to one. _

_So there I was, sitting in American History and actually reading the textbook, when Brian came up to me and asked me to hang out after school. He took me along as he ran his errands, before dropping my starry-eyed self at home. Little did I know that his taking me along on his errands was his way of showing me what he needed done. Yes, I'm embarrassed to admit, that what I assumed was a "relationship" was simply him choosing me to be his Personal Assistant. _

_At this stage of my life, I don't know how I didn't see it, but at the time I just assumed me being his Errand Girl was totally normal. After all, my father picked up my other father's dry cleaning. The fact that Brian wouldn't speak to me in school and that he never invited me to any parties, including the ones at his own home, failed to incite a Red Flag. I was so sure of Brian that I was willing to alter my plan slightly. Brian and I would date through college and he would propose at the age of 24, which still put me on course to get married at 25._

_Brian __**was**__ willing to speak to me in the privacy of his home, where our conversations would alternate between describing his plans to be a huge star on Broadway (I'm happy to say he's not) and him pressuring me to have sex. Eventually I gave in, laying there like a surfboard, thinking that this was nothing like I'd ever seen in the movies or read about in books. Where was the love, passion, and the romance? There wasn't a candle in sight or even music playing softly, for Pete's Sake! Not having anything to base my experience on, I remember thinking that this must be normal. It must be completely normal for Brian to roll off of me and tell me to get out, before rolling over and going to sleep. It must also be normal for me to have to walk home afterwards, wiping the tears from my eyes._

_I know what you're thinking Readers. Yes, I was that stupid. So stupid, in fact, that afterwards, I continued in my "relationship" doing his errands. It was during one such errand when my world came tumbling down. I'd just bought Brian's lunch, preparing it on the tray the way he liked, and had brought it over to his table, only to find him making out with the Head Cheerleader (who was super popular and therefore, my secret arch enemy) at the lunch table. I stood there in shock, until Brian finally looked at me and simply told me "Just leave it on the table and get out of here, will you?" I retreated to the safety of the Girl's Room, only to find Brian and half the school (the popular half of course) waiting for me outside the door when I finally emerged. With his arm around the Head Cheerleader, he'd looked at me…and asked me if I'd picked up his dry cleaning. I looked at the floor mumbling that I thought we were dating, which caused him to burst out laughing. "You? You thought I would date you? Seriously Yentl, your voice is almost as good as mine, but why would you ever think that I would date you, when there are so many hotter girls?"_

_And here Readers, is where my life plan veered drastically off course. The revelation that Brian used me for errands and played on my feelings for him to get laid sent me into a funk of massive proportions. I spent months wallowing in self-pity, losing myself in the romance of books and movies, wondering what went wrong. What I failed to realize at the time is that life is just not like it is in the movies or even in books. I swore that never again would I allow myself to get to the point of heartbreak I'd reached with Brian._

_In order to do that, I simply stopped living. Yes, I did graduate college with a degree in English, but after the Brian fiasco, I never went on another date. Guys would approach me, but I always made some excuse. I avoided places where I could potentially meet men and kept to myself and my small group of friends. So low was my self esteem after the Brian Debacle, that I even stopped singing, something I'd always been very good at and loved to do when I was younger. With the exception of my fathers and one friend, absolutely no one in my life right now is aware that I have perfect pitch and love to sing. I took a job at Maquillage, planning to work there during the day and secretly write my best-selling novel at night, which is another thing almost no one knows. Yet somehow, the years went by and my novel stayed a vague thought in my head. I was trapped in this self imposed exile from the real world and what's worse, I was ok with it._

_That is, until 10 days ago. For you see, I was sitting at our staff meeting, minding my own business when Fate found me. I was told that I'd be writing the article "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days." I was supposed to find some poor unsuspecting guy, and torture him with all the mistakes girls make at the beginning of a relationship. Sounds like fun right? I was horrified. What did I know about the mistakes girls make? Last time I was in a relationship, N'Sync was popular! Unable to get out of the assignment, I headed out with the girls to a local bar, clutching a list of things girls do that drive guys away. I was prepared to be clingy, needy, whiny, the whole nine yards. After all I was a professional, and it's not like I was actually going to date this guy. With any luck, I'd get rid of the guy in a day or two and go back to my life, such as it were. _

_Life has a funny way of messing with you, because the only thing I wasn't planned on was HIM. Planner that I am, I intended to find a random guy, act crazy, he'd dump me, and I'd be exactly the same afterwards. Fate apparently had other plans, since it decided to send me the one person that could end my exile and make me start living again. In other words, the one person who could find a way into my heart._

_I'd first noticed "Ken" sitting at a reserved table, idly tapping his fingers on the table. He seemed to be waiting for someone, and as he sat there I took in his handsome profile, the thought popping into my brain of what it would be like to run my hands through his hair. I couldn't believe that I, Ms. Avoid-Guys-like-the-Plague had actually thought that. For the rest of the night unable to help myself, I watched him out of the corner of my eye, an unexplainable sadness filling me when I saw him greet two women and a man. I assumed he was on a double date and disappointed, I resumed my hunt for a guy to torture. _

_Luckily, while I was keeping an eye on my Handsome Stranger, Fate was keeping an eye on me. It saw that I'd attracted the attention of a less than desirable guy, who'd been feeding me the worst pickup lines I'd ever heard and sent me my own Knight in Shining Armor in the form of a 6'3 Advertising Executive. The very same one I'd been watching all night. He simply swooped into my life, pretending to be my boyfriend, whisking me off to dinner to lose the lame pick-up line guy and although I didn't realize it at the time, my sorry excuse for life._

_Life as I knew it ceased to exist. The next 10 days were a blur of happiness. I quickly began to cherish every moment spent with Ken. I lay in bed each night replaying in my mind every conversation, every smile, every kiss. I memorized every facial expression, the sound of his voice, and his smell. Dr. Seuss once said that "You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams." Thoughts of Ken inundated my brain, making me happily stay awake. While I didn't realize the exact depth of my feelings, I knew I was falling harder for him than I'd ever fallen for Brian. Sure, I kept the article in the back of my mind, doing the most atrocious things to Ken, but somewhere in the middle of all this…I fell in love with him. Life rushed into me from the moment he first touched me and I've never been the same. Even better, according to everyone around us, Ken fell in love with me._

_By now you're probably wondering, if I was in love with Ken, and Ken was in love with me what's the problem? Well here's where I'm going to tell you how to lose a guy in 10 days. The answer is easy: fall harder for him than you've ever fallen before, while simultaneously lying to him. Sure, you can be clingy, needy or whiny and call him in the middle of the night to talk about your menstrual cycle, and while I'm not saying you won't get dumped if you do that, in my experience, nothing made Ken run faster than being lied to. Each day that I spent with Ken made it harder to tell him. I became more and more conflicted because as he became more important to me, I was constantly reevaluating the situation. I'd tell him tomorrow, I promised myself, but tomorrow would come and I'd never tell him. I kept reassuring myself that Ken would understand; that he couldn't possibly be mad at me for doing my job. I figured it would be just like the movies, where Girl tells Guy the truth, Guy gets mad for a moment, they kiss passionately, and then live happily ever after. As Ken's significance in my life grew, so did my doubts about his understanding and forgiving me. I attempted to get out of the article, telling my boss about what I was feeling, but all she could say was that if I did this article well, I'd receive a long deserved promotion. I was stuck. I didn't know how to tell her that I didn't want a promotion, I just wanted HIM, and I didn't know how to tell Ken about the article. The one time I tried to broach the subject with him by giving a very vague outline of the situation, he proved himself to be even more wonderful by giving me the advice that inspired the direction this article has taken. Find a way to make it your own, he told me, by putting a Rachel Berry spin on it. I can only hope that my article does his advice justice._

_Ironically, my lie wasn't the only one in our relationship. Like me, Ken needed our relationship to flourish to succeed at work. In order to secure an important account, he had to make a woman fall in love with him by the night of his company's Gala. Once again, I was being used for personal gain. Seriously, what are the odds of that? I've had two relationships in my life and both times I was being used. After a very public confrontation at the Gala, for which I apologize if anyone saw it, I escaped to the solitude of my apartment, shutting myself away from the world. I was mortified and upset, spilling more tears than I ever thought I could. The image of his face when he realized he was being used for an article has been burned into my brain. Knowing that I was the cause of that pain just made the ache in my heart even stronger. I played the same song over and over again at the highest possible volume, as if making myself deaf would help me forget him. The only thing it did was annoy my neighbors to the point where they served me with papers for disrupting the peace._

_A bottle of wine became my best friend, helping me to finally see that life is just NOT like it is in the movies, otherwise, Ken would have been outside my apartment waiting for me at which point we'd make up and then have hot passionate sex. I spent all day indulging in self pity, wondering what I possibly could have done to deserve this, and I came to this conclusion: I don't care. I don't care that I was used; hell I was doing the same thing! _

_So if I don't care about being used, why am I so sad? I sat in my apartment for hours trying to answer that question. Eventually, I figured it out. I do care about my own happiness and here's what I know: I **can't** be happy without him. I don't know how to fall out of love with him, and honestly, I don't want even want to try. I don't want to imagine the day when the image of his face doesn't cross my mind or forget what it feels like when he holds me in his arms and how safe I feel there. _

_Someone very special to me once told me that **'someday someone will walk into your life and make you realize why it never worked out with anyone else**.' Truer words have never been spoken. Even before we actually met, he'd begun changing my life for the better, because from the first second I laid eyes on him, he started breaking down the barriers I'd placed around my heart. Each day spent with him broke those barriers even more, until he had permanently ingrained himself in my heart. He made me get what he called my 'Rachelness' back. Somewhere along the line I lost it and became content to exist in this shell. He demolished that shell and made me feel alive, something I haven't felt in a long time. _

_Yes, my life veered off course, but I realize now it was a necessary detour. I __**needed**__ to be used by Brian, so that when the person I was meant to be with finally came along, I'd know what the right kind of relationship should feel like. After some soul searching on my part, I realized what the difference was between the 'relationship' with Brian and the relationship with Ken. Brian was simply using me and had no feelings for me whatsoever. It was nothing more than a business transaction to him. Ken on the other hand, may have started out with intentions of having it be a business deal, but it developed into more. The business aspect became secondary as Ken developed feelings for me. _

_The weekend we spent at his parents changed everything, of that I am sure. It __wasn't the "Ah ha," the light bulb suddenly turning on or the firework moment that everyone seems to talk about when they realize the other is "The One." There was no sudden realization for me so to speak; it just crept up on me. It started with a simple card game and grew with each moment. Rather than be seen as "The Girl there for Approval" I was taken in and accepted as a member of the family, creating a feeling of contentment, of home, that I'd never felt outside my own family before. That weekend there was no hidden agenda, no one was telling us what to do, or reminding us of our "goals." It was just a time when we could be ourselves. No pretenses. No pressure. A time when we could truly show ourselves without someone telling us what we were doing is wrong. For me, the realization that Ken was **The One**, was when we sat around the table, as a family, joking, talking and sharing stories, and realizing this was what I wanted, and I only wanted it with him. I wanted it to be this man that brought me to his family, because he felt that I was worth it. That I was special enough._

_And that's the difference. Ken made me feel special from the moment I met him, whereas Brian never did. Even at my most vulnerable, Ken still made me feel like I could walk on water. Although I put him through hell these past 10 days, getting him a Black Eye, dragging him to a Tupperware Party, and just regularly humiliating him, I could still feel the love and support emanating from his every fiber of his being. Ken believed in me and made me believe in myself, pushing me when I didn't want to be pushed. For these lessons, I honestly cannot thank him enough, because Ken's given me the push-and the confidence-I needed to finally gather my courage and start my novel. He's helped me to realize that I've been using this column as a shield, letting it act as the justification as to why I could never begin my novel. The day we met, Ken asked a simple question: "What's stopping you?" and I honestly could not answer him. What __**was**__ stopping me? I thought long and hard about it and the only thing I can think of is me. I needed to get out of my own way. He pointed me in the right direction, giving me the strength and support I needed to come to this decision: __**this is my last article for Maquillage**__. It's time I take the notebooks full of ideas I've hidden in my apartment and share them with the world. I owe this to Ken, and to myself._

_Now, I'm not claiming to be an expert on love; I think my past, combined with my current predicament proves that. I can only tell you what love felt like for me. Boneless, because one touch from him, and my body turned to goo. Secure, because I knew that I could trust Ken with all my deep, dark, even silly secrets. Expectant because I would count down the moments until I could see him again. Speechless, because every time he kissed me, I lost the ability to speak. Hold out for that Readers, and once you have it never let it slip through your fingers like I did. I let some stupid job assignment get in the way of the only time I've ever been truly happy in my adult life. Maybe I was naïve and in over my head. Maybe I was stupid for ever thinking he liked me, but for a while there, I was a part of something special._

_So Readers, if you've learned anything from my history, know this. Every experience you've had, every mistake you've ever made, every "Brian" you've ever dated, has taken you one step closer to the man who's going to take you on the last first date you'll ever have. As much as you may hate them, those days before him are there for a reason. They're learning experiences meant to help you, so that when the right one comes along you'll know. Because if there's one thing I've learned, it's that life is most definitely not like the movies. Prince Charming is not going to come out of the woodwork and marry you on the spot. Sure, I could tell you the classic mistakes girls make when it comes to guys, but honestly, sometimes you __**need**__ to do those things, because it helps you see what you deserve and need out of a relationship. If he gets scared off because you call him a lot, don't freak, because you know what? One day you'll meet the guy who thinks you can never call enough. Until Fate decides you're ready to meet that person, don't be afraid to live life. Get out there and find out what you want. Always remember what you deserve and eventually Fate will introduce you to that guy who thinks you're beautiful when you've got a runny nose and a 103 degree fever, the one who's proud to intertwine his fingers with yours in front of his friends or kiss you before his softball game, the one who won't laugh when you tell him you secretly want to be Canadian. Be patient, because he's going through his own experiences right now, wondering where __**you**__ are._

_I'm going to leave you with one final piece of advice: You can plan all you want, but sometimes, fate just comes along with something even better than what you planned for. I know it did in my case. _

Finn put the article down, deep in thought, a small smile on his face at Rachel's significant choice of code name for him. The article was _not_ what he'd been expecting. When he picked up the magazine, he'd been fully prepared to relive the humiliation he'd endured for the past ten days. Picking the article back up, he read it for the third time, absorbing every word, committing every sentence to memory. He read it a fourth time, and a fifth, each time feeling more and more like he was getting the connection to Rachel he so desperately wanted. His eyes fell on one paragraph in particular.

_The one time I'd tried to broach the subject with him by giving him a vague outline…_

He ran through the last ten days. Fortunately, he remembered every conversation, every touch, and every kiss. Images came flooding back to him.

Rachel sitting on the couch upset.

Lying on top of him as he played with her hair.

Telling him about a problem at work.

_What would you do if your boss was forcing you to do something you really didn't want to do? What if it cost you something else?_

Finn laid back on his bed, closing his eyes. He could feel Vlad jump up and settle on his stomach and he reached a hand out to stroke him while he processed what he had just read.

He had no doubt that this article was a message to him, an explanation and apology combined. He sighed. They'd both screwed up so bad. She was right, they'd let their jobs dictate their actions, overriding any emotions or feeling coming from the heart and now they were stuck in an almost purgatory-like existence.

He'd once told her that she really understood that quote she loved so much, but this article just took it to a new level. He thought back over his own dating history, pathetic as it was, trying to relate it to Rachel's words.

There was Adrienne, his high school girlfriend. Her main goal in life seemed to be continuing her family legacy and becoming Homecoming Queen and Prom Queen. He'd thought that she liked him for him, but she really liked him for his position on the football team. She was spoiled and domineering and was hated by his mother, Kurt and Burt. He knew his mom wasn't thrilled at the way Adrienne treated her son, and although Finn had never said anything to Kurt, he'd always secretly thought that Kurt was jealous of the fact that Adrienne's wardrobe was better than his. Easy-going Finn went along with whatever she wanted to do, even if he didn't want to, which meant only hanging out with her friends, carrying her bags when he had to accompany her while she shopped, or picking her up from cheerleading practice. During the four months they'd dated, he'd seen his own friends only a handful of times, since Adrienne felt that they were losers. When he'd broke his leg during football camp and ended up missing the entire football season Junior year, he was dumped quicker than it used to take Kurt to say "_Dad I need your credit card_."

A newly single Finn watched from the sidelines as Adrienne began dating his replacement at Quarterback and the two went on to become Homecoming King and Queen, as well as Prom King and Queen. He didn't particularly care about not being King, but it had stung when he'd realized that she only liked him because he was popular. He'd trusted her and she'd used that trust to her advantage. He'd stayed single for the rest of high school, happy to hang out with his friends and Kurt, going on the occasional date. There was one slip up with Adrienne on Prom night, when she'd offered to help him lose his virginity in a hotel room, claiming that she'd always intended for her to be his first. Finn looked at Adrienne afterwards, as she bitched about him going to get her food, repulsed at the thought that he'd just had his first time and it meant nothing. He still regretted the fact that he'd been so flippant, not understanding what exactly sex meant, and the difference between casual sex and meaningful sex. It had been a huge deal to him, but Adrienne had acted as if they'd just gone mini-golfing. He knew she was having regular sex with the guy who'd replaced him on the football team, but she'd acted so _blasé_ about it.

He frowned, putting his hands on his head in frustration. What had he learned from that experience? After the _She-who-must-not-be-named_ catastrophe, as Kurt liked to call it, he was much more guarded about who he trusted and was never again so careless about sex. He'd managed to avoid relationships during his time at NYU, dating once in a while, but never getting to the point where it would be necessary to introduce them to his family. He barely even mentioned any girls to his parents and Kurt, although Lord knows his mom was constantly trying to find out.

The result of his experiences with _She-who-must-not-be-named_ and the non-dating lifestyle he'd employed afterwards was that he'd never really learned how to control that word vomit, so when Jenelle came along after college, he'd been thrilled when _she_ pursued _him_.

Jenelle. He gripped his hair, tugging at it in frustration, allowing the disaster that was Jenelle to invade his memory. He'd been at a bar with Artie, watching a Knicks game. She'd come up to them, a round of beers in one hand and pulling a stool over with the other. Jenelle stayed with them all night, flirting with Finn. She'd grabbed his cell phone off the table and programmed her number into it, by using his phone to call hers.

At first, everything was great. Jenelle seemed to be everything Adrienne wasn't. She was interested in him and liked the things that he liked. She was sweet and gracious to his friends. When she'd started calling him, it never occurred to him to wonder why she only called him from work, or why she only wanted to meet for lunch. He was so caught up in her, that he never crossed his mind to question why he could never go to her apartment, or meet any of _her_ friends. That part he didn't mind, it was a welcome change after Adrienne and her _not_ letting him see his friends.

He hesitated to tell his mom about her or let Jenelle meet his family. He'd seen the disapproving stares his mom wore every time Adrienne came over and he couldn't bear it if she hated this girlfriend too.

Things had stayed this way for about a month, eventually progressing into a sexual relationship the second month. Finn was under the impression that everything was great since they got along well, and the sex was fantastic, so when she showed up at lunch one day wearing an engagement ring that didn't come from him, he was a little perplexed.

Jenelle had proceeded to _thank_ him. Finn listened, his mouth hanging open, as she explained that she and her boyfriend of 4 years had decided to take a break to figure out what they both wanted. Her boyfriend had found out about their relationship, and became insanely jealous. Finn looked at her, his face a mask of shock, as she gloated that she _knew_ her plan of letting him see her with another guy would get him to propose. Riding her engagement high, she didn't notice his shock and simply hugged him before walking out of the café and out of his life.

He ran his hand through his hair. After Jenelle, he'd sworn off women for a while, until Mike claimed that he _had_ to meet his cousin Claire.

According to Mike, Claire was perfect for him. Claire had gone to NYU also, was a big Mets fan, liked playing sports and was working as a stock broker. What Mike had neglected to mention was that Claire was also desperate to get married. She'd made everything Rachel had done to him look like child's play. At first, Finn had gone along with it out of respect for Mike, but when she started asking him who he'd want as groomsmen and what month he'd like to get married on their third date, he started to get wary. Claire began showing up at work, wanting to hug or kiss Finn, or simply watch him work. He'd had Allie ward her off, telling her to tell Claire that he was in a meeting or on the phone. That didn't deter Claire, since she'd simply call his cell phone and leave him messages.

She started calling him in the middle of the night, crying, wondering what she did to make him mad that day or to ask if he thought she was fat. Finn would listen, half asleep, occasionally commenting when she paused. Sometimes he actually fell asleep, which would cause Claire to call back hysterically crying, claiming that since he fell asleep he didn't want to be with her any more.

She'd also started commenting on his choice of clothing or hairstyle, bringing over new clothes for him and sending him to her hair salon to get a new hairstyle. Finn had felt bad, and had actually stayed with her for two weeks before dumping her crazy ass. For about six months afterwards, she'd kept calling his cell phone leaving messages about what she was up to and inviting him places, occasionally leaving him drunk messages demanding to know why she was unmarriable.

Finn put one arm across his eyes, the other reaching out to continue stroking Vlad's soft fur, as he reflected on his sad dating history. Rachel's words were floating in his head. He felt like she was describing his own life, not hers.

_Every experience you've had, every mistake you've ever made, every "Brian" you've ever dated, has taken you one step closer to the man who's going to take you on the last first date you'll ever have. As much as you may hate them, those days before him are there for a reason. They're learning experiences meant to help you, so that when the right one comes along you'll know._

She was right. Adrienne, Jenelle, and Claire, along with the few random girls he'd dated during college had prepared him. They'd made him see what he didn't want, and helped clarify what he did. Thanks to Adrienne, he knew that he'd want someone who viewed him as an equal, someone who allowed him to have a say in their plans and their life, who would share experiences with him. He'd learned that he wanted someone he could trust, someone who wouldn't lie to him and play with his feelings courtesy of Jenelle. Claire had taught him that he wanted someone who accepted him for him, flaws and all, someone who wouldn't try to change the things they didn't like about him.

Finn sat straight up as the epiphany hit him. Basically what it added up to was that Adrienne, Jenelle and Claire had sent him on the broken road that led to Rachel. It was Rachel he was supposed to be with, he knew it. He didn't deserve her, but she was it for him.

Rachel was endgame.

She had taken the first step by laying it all out there in the article. What happened next was up to him. Grabbing his cell phone, he dialed a number he knew by heart.

**_Hi! You've reached Rachel's cell. I'm not here right now. Leave a message!_**

Frustrated at the fact that the phone went right to voice mail, he pressed the button to hang up, not bothering to leave a message.

* * *

Rachel looked back at what she'd written. She'd been typing furiously since last night, stopping only to take power naps. Thankfully, Mercedes had stopped banging on the bedroom door constantly, downgrading to only banging when she left food outside the door for Rachel. Food that went mostly untouched. She'd eliminated all distractions from her room, turning her cell phone off and locking Mercedes out. The words were flowing from Rachel and she was desperate to get them onto the laptop sitting on her lap. She owed it to Finn and felt like if she stopped for any reason she'd be letting him down.

She was so focused on getting the words from her head and onto the screen that she nearly jumped out of her skin when the pounding on the door started up again.

"I'm _not_ hungry Mer!" Rachel called out, annoyed that Mercedes was interrupting her _again_ with something as trivial as food.

"Berry! If you don't open this fucking door, I'm going to break it down!"

Rachel looked up, startled at the language the deep voice used. That voice definitely did not belong to Mercedes. What was Noah doing here?

"Go away Noah. I'm busy!" She turned back to the screen, prepared to ignore Noah like she'd been ignoring Mercedes all day.

"Berry! I drag my ass over here and you fucking tell me to go away? Open this door!" Noah punctuated the statement with a solid pound of the door.

"Noah, there's a slutty girl two doors down I'm sure would love to be intimate with you. Why don't you go find out? I think the maintenance closet is unlocked." Once again, she turned back to the screen, contemplating the flow of the last sentence she'd just written.

She rolled her eyes as she heard Noah say "_Really_?" to Mercedes, before the pounding commenced again and Noah spat out, "Fuck you Berry. You leave me no choice." Rachel could hear the muffled voices outside the door, but ignored them, reveling in the semi silence.

The semi-silence lasted for all of 5 minutes.

She cocked her head as she heard a scuffling sound, followed by a click. She watched open-mouthed from her position on the bed as her door swung open to reveal a screwdriver laden Noah, Mercedes standing just behind him.

"Noah! Did you break my door?" she screeched, furious that they were interrupting her creative flow.

"Relax Berry. This isn't the first time I've had to break into a girl's bedroom. You honestly think a fucking lock is gonna stop Puck?" he boasted, as he stepped into the room.

She eyed Noah as he walked around the room, pausing at the chair where her dress and accessories from the Gala were still draped. He picked up the delicate black thong off the chair by two fingers. "I never figured you for a thong kind of girl."

"What do you want, Noah?" Rachel snapped as she grabbed the thong from him and settled back on the bed, longing to get back to her laptop.

"Well let's see, what do I want?" Noah mockingly asked as he walked over to Rachel's bed. He placed a finger on his chin, tapping it as he pretended to think about it. "What do I want? What do I want?"

"_Noah_," Rachel warned, getting exasperated and wishing she had that necklace carousel from the first time she met him. Why couldn't he just go away and leave her with her writing and memories of Finn?

"Fine. So there I was, playing COD and drinking beer, when my mom and uncle come in, wanting to know if I can shed any light about what went down at the Gala and why Finn hasn't been at work in 2 days. I had no idea, but then I pick up my sister's copy of _Maquillage_ and lo and behold there's a fucking 4 page declaration of love lost starting on page 63. Naturally, I call your cell phone, but God forbid you answer. The fuck happened? Last I saw you two were eye fucking the hell out of each other."

"Like you honestly don't know Noah. I'm sure Mercedes filled you in." Rachel crossed her arms in defiance, her face daring him to say he didn't know what happened again.

Noah gave up. He jumped up onto Rachel's bureau, glancing at Mercedes before he looked at Rachel. "Aretha filled me in on the fight, but honestly I knew about everything else." He instinctively covered his groin, knowing from past experience that Rachel was a very good shot.

"You _knew_? What do you mean, you _knew_?" Rachel screeched, looking for something to throw at him. Mercedes quickly attempted to diffuse the situation stepping in between the two of them, glaring at Noah.

"Whoa, what do you mean, you knew? Boy, you better explain quick. Don't make me get the razors," she threatened, her eyes wandering up to rest on his Mohawk.

Noah ran a hand protectively over his badass Mohawk before saying anything. "Remember the blonde I had on the dance floor? The angry drunk? She works with Finn."

Mercedes glanced at Rachel, who was staring at Noah expectantly, before focusing her attention back on the man in front of her. "Go on Puck."

Noah shifted his gaze from Mercedes to Rachel. "I managed to get her in the coat room after I got her off the dance floor. I'd been loading her up with Champagne all night, since she seemed a little uptight and in my experience they're the wildest in the sack once you get the fucking stick out of their ass. I remember this one time-"

"_Noah." _Rachel put a hand up in warning, her tone snapping him out of his reverie.

Sensing Rachel was on the verge of throwing something, he quickly relayed what Quinn had told him about the bet. "So basically Finn was set up to be fucked, and not in the fun way," he concluded, running a hand through his 'hawk.

Rachel was seeing red. _That's_ why Santana looked so familiar. She remembered now. Angrily, she turned to Mercedes. "Do you remember Mer? She was the bitch who made fun of my column when Emma came over and introduced us to them. She came to the softball game too and made fun of me again." Rachel was so angry; she was practically spitting the words out. "_Ana_. She was the one Allie told me Finn was dating. She was in those stupid pictures too."

She was angry about being made fun of, but was angrier that the woman had used Finn so callously. How _dare_ she use her sweet, trusting Finn that way? Puck could practically see the steam coming out of Rachel's ears and once again went on alert for objects flying at him.

Mercedes, an expression of remembrance on her face, nodded vigorously. "I remember thinking she seemed like a real bitch when Emma introduced her." She turned to Puck accusingly. "Listen here, Puckerman, if you knew all of this was going on at the Gala, why didn't you do something about it before the shit hit the fan?"

"For your information, Aretha, I _was_ watching out for my girl Berry here," Puck replied, holding a hand over his groin just in case. He glanced at Rachel warily. She didn't appear to be armed, but was looking at him with anger still evident in her eyes, so he moved his hand away cautiously.

"Explain, Noah." Rachel crossed her arms waiting for Noah to continue. Mercedes sat down beside her, crossing her own arms. Both women eyed Puck expectantly, making him nervous.

"Look Berry, after Q told me about what went down, I was left with a decision, should I kick Finn's ass or see what he has to say first? I knew you'd kick_ my_ ass if I touched a hair on his head, and honestly, you're fucking scary when you're angry, so I decided to see what he had to say first. You remember what I said to you in the coat room? About Finn being the one meant to fill the spaces?"

"What's with you and coat rooms?" Mercedes interjected curiously.

"Never mind that, Mercedes. Go on, Noah, about what you said to me," Rachel demanded.

"First of all Beyonce, the Coat Room is where I conduct business, Puckerman style. As for what I said to you about Finn being _The One_, how the fuck did you think I knew that? I purposely pissed you off, knowing you'd leave for a while, so I could talk to Finn mano a mano. Found out some fucking interesting stuff." He paused, knowing it would irritate Rachel.

Seeing the Death Glare she threw in his direction, he hastily continued. "When I mentioned that you two were Stage 5 and head over heels in love, I could practically see the fucking light bulb going off as he realized that he loved you."

Rachel stared, her mind reeling. Noah's words were spinning in her head._ He loved you._ She knew that everyone commented on how in love they looked or how perfect they were for each other, but until now, she'd never had confirmation that Finn himself loved her.

Reality sunk in as she realized that he said loved, as in past tense. A frown began forming on her face as the thought set in that Finn hated her now. "He doesn't love me. He hates me."

"God, Berry, you inhale too much nail polish or something? I think working at that fucking girlie magazine has made you stupid."

"Damn boy, what's wrong with you?" Mercedes exclaimed, putting an arm around Rachel who cried _"Noah!"_ at the same time.

"Look Mercedes, I didn't see the fight, but I saw him when he realized his feelings and I saw you two afterwards. I'm telling you, he was so fucking whipped; he was practically down on one knee. I don't think he _could_ hate you." Puck shook his head firmly convinced of this, keeping an eye on Rachel's hands at the same time. "You two just need to get out of your own fucking way."

"And how do you propose they do that?" Mercedes demanded. "I think they just need time to process."

"Seriously, who died and made you Oprah?" Puck retorted. "I don't know what you should do, but I can tell you that nothing's going to fucking happen if you won't leave your room. That's why you, me and Mercedes are going to Game 7 tomorrow. You need to leave this room, and seriously, so do I. It's so pink, I feel like I'm in the fucking Barbie Dream House. I can feel the testosterone draining out of me by the second."

Shuddering as he glanced around the room, he hopped off the bureau. "You two don't show up tomorrow, and I will have the Mets play that video of you drunk off your ass attempting to sing "_Hit me Baby One More Time_" on top of a jewlery display case, just before you fell off it, on the Jumbo-Tron."

Rachel looked at him, horrified. "You _swore_ you erased that!"

She glanced at Mercedes, who was doubled over laughing, tears coming out of her eyes. "I forgot about that! _Hiiiiit meeee Baby one more_- AHHHH!" she imitated, falling back onto the bed and laughing, earning a smack from Rachel.

"Need I remind you that you were on that video also, Ms. Baby got Back?" Rachel retorted, her comment stopping Mercedes in her tracks.

Mercedes rolled over on the bed and sat straight up. "Mr. T. over there wouldn't dare post that video on the Jumbo-Tron. He was on there too, singing Milli Vanilli if I recall correctly."

"Ladies, the power of editing is an impressive thing. Not only will I have them play that video without me in it, I will also post it on YouTube. I guarantee it would go Viral within an hour, particularly when they get a view of Berry's granny panties after she fell off the counter." Puck knew he had them, as both wore identical looks of horror.

Turning to go, he called over his shoulder, "If you two aren't there by 6:30, start checking YouTube by 6:40."

He ducked just in time to avoid the hair brush zooming through the air.

* * *

Puck smirked as he walked out of Rachel's building. Whipping out his cell phone, he called Uncle Aaron's office.

"Good Afternoon, Puckerman Diamond Industries. Audrey speaking, how may I help you?"

"Audrey, it's Puck. I need you to do me a favor," Puck said into the phone as soon as he heard his secretary's voice. Uncle Aaron had insisted on giving him an office and a secretary for reasons still unclear. Puck had never actually seen the office, or even Audrey, but he frequently spoke to Audrey on the phone, since she was the one who got him tickets, booked the flights for him and his girl of the week, and coordinated his secret rendezvous.

"Of course, Mr. Puckerman, what do you need?"

Running a hand through his Mohawk, he quickly told her what he needed.

"Is that all Mr. Puckerman?" Audrey's surprised but efficient voice came through the phone. "It's much different from your usual requests."

"That's it. Just get to work on it now." Hanging up, he walked down the street looking for the nearest bar. After all that pink in Berry's room, he needed to reclaim his badassness.

If the bar had a coat room, even better.

* * *

Carole hovered outside Finn's closed bedroom door. After he read the article, he'd started yelling for Kurt, allowing him and only him into the bedroom. The two of them had now been locked in there for over an hour.

Justifying that she was being a concerned mother, she listened at the door, confused by what she was hearing.

"I tried calling her, but it went to voice mail." Carole could hear the sadness in Finn's voice.

"Well, I have something that might make you feel better. Check out this email I just got."

"No _fucking_ way. Where did you get this?" Confused, Carole kept listening, now hearing the excitement growing in Finn's voice.

"Don't look at me; you need to thank the Ladies Man on your lap. Vlad gets more girls in an hour than you've ever gotten. One of his Groupies just happened to have gone to school with your enemy and absolutely hates her. She was more than willing to share those pictures. It's actually your secretary Allie's cousin. What should we do about it?"

"You serious? Vlad got me this email? You are an awesome little Chihuahua!" Carole smiled, hearing Vlad's collar tags jingling, and assumed that Finn was petting him. "This calls for a round of biscuits! Go get them Kurt."

"What? Why do I have to go get them? I spent all day holding him while he was fawned over by his legions of adoring fans. You go get them, he's _your_ dog."

"Exactly Kurt. _I'm_ his pillow. _You're_ his Biscuit Bitch. Sucks, but he assigned the roles, not me. Now go, Vlad's waiting."

Hearing Kurt's footsteps coming towards the door, Carole hastily retreated down the hall and into the kitchen, just in time to see Kurt come in muttering about Vlad's makeover going to his head. She watched as he grabbed the biscuit box and then walked back down the hall, closing the bedroom door behind him.

Deciding not to eavesdrop anymore, Carole turned her attention to the state of Finn's kitchen, having longed for quite some time to give Finn's counters a good scrub. She was just getting the cleaning supplies out when the intercom buzzed.

"_Mr. Hudson, I have a Brittany S. Pierce here to see you. Says she has your Tupperware delivery."_

Carole approved Brittany coming up, and quickly put away the cleaning supplies. She opened the door a moment later to find a tall, pretty blonde holding a large box, an older woman next to her. "Is this Finn's apartment?" the Blonde asked, shifting the box on her hip.

"Are you Brittany?" Carole asked kindly. "Come on in."

"I have his Tupperware. I was going to give it to Rachel, but she quit," Brittany explained as she walked in. "This is my grandmother, Peggy."

"You Frankie's Mom?" Peggy asked bluntly. "He's a cute one."

Before Carole could correct her, the bedroom door opened, and Vlad came yipping down the hall, followed by Finn and Kurt.

"Finn! Brittany and her grandmother stopped by to drop off my Tupperware," Carole said as she bent down to scoop up Vlad, and then gesturing to Brittany to place the box on the counter.

"Frankie! You'll never guess what happened down at the Senior Center!" Grandma Peggy cried out, gripping Finn's arm tightly ready to tell him all about the drama.

Great. He'd fallen into Grandma Peggy's clutches again. "Hello, Peggy," he said wearily, not in the mood to deal with Senior Citizen pettiness. He and Kurt had been brainstorming revenge ideas, and they'd only come out to get some Advil and some food. If he had known Brittany and her Grandma were here, he would have stayed in his room.

"Where's the Brunette? The one you couldn't stop staring at?" Grandma Peggy demanded, oblivious to the discomfort of the group.

"Grandma! I told you not to mention that!" Brittany exclaimed, horrified. "The article, remember?" she added in a low voice.

"No, you said don't mention the article to _Finn_. I'm talking to Frankie."

"Grandma! The article is about _him_!" Brittany exclaimed, pointing to Finn.

"_What_? Let me get the girls at the Senior Center and we'll have a _talk_ with her, Ok Frankie?" Grandma Peggy implored, still gripping Finn's arm.

"No, Peggy, that's ok," Finn replied, wishing they'd just leave. He had a revenge plot to plan.

"Grandma, didn't you need to use the bathroom?" Brittany questioned, hoping to distract her grandmother.

"No." Grandma Peggy looked at Brittany. "Brits, I'm confused. Why would she write that article about Frankie? I saw her staring at him, she adored him. I even told her that." She pulled Finn's face down to her and puckered his lips with her hand. "Look at this face. Who would want to be mean to this face?"

Brittany sighed. Her grandmother had the worst timing. She glanced around the group, hesitating, unsure of what she should say.

"Brittany Susan Pierce, answer me. Why would she do this to him?" Peggy asked, still puckering his lips with her hand and shaking his face.

"She didn't _want_ to. We were at a staff meeting and Mercedes was talking about how she got dumped and didn't understand why, when all of a sudden Emma just comes up with this idea about doing all the wrong things in a relationship. She randomly chose Rachel for the article. Rachel kept protesting that she wasn't right for the article, but Emma wouldn't hear of it." The words came out in a rush as Brittany glanced around the group.

"Really?" Carole asked, looking to see what Finn's reaction was. Since his face was still being held hostage by Peggy, she couldn't really tell.

"Yeah, we all felt so bad for Rachel. She was coming into work every day all upset. Emma demanded daily updates, and wouldn't listen when Rachel tried to explain that she didn't want to do it. Emma even contributed ideas and made her do them. I don't blame her for quitting. I'm going to miss her; she taught me how to use my new iPod."

"Really?" Carole repeated. Her head was starting to spin from all this drama. Thank God Burt had fallen asleep on the couch; he'd probably need another dose of his heart medicine.

"Uh, we better go. Come on Grandma," Brittany decided, slightly uncomfortable at the way everyone was staring at her.

"Ok Brits." Grandma Peggy finally released Finn's face from its puckered position, but still cupped it in her hands. "Frankie, you listen to me. I told you once before that you two were going to make it. I still believe that. A Grandmother's intuition is _never_ wrong. And remember what I told her last time. If she jerks you around again, I can make it look like an accident."

"_Come on,_ Grandma." Brittany, desperate to get her grandmother out of there, practically pulled her out the door. "Tell Rachel I said hi!" she called over her shoulder.

Kurt closed the door behind them, immediately turning to face Finn. Like Carole was already doing, he simply stared at Finn, who stood there rubbing his cheeks, his face an unreadable mask.

The silence was broken by the ringing of Finn's cell phone. His heart plunged when he realized that it was Artie's number on the Caller ID, not Rachel's. He knew it was stupid to hope that she'd call him back, especially since he didn't even leave a message on her phone, but after Brittany's revelation about just how reluctant Rachel was about the article, part of him hoped she'd call to see what he thought about it.

Not to mention, he was desperate to hear her voice.

"Hey Artie," he spoke into the phone, smiling at his mom cradling Vlad like a baby in her arms, and cooing over him. Kurt wasn't kidding; he really did get the ladies.

"Dude did you hear? Tell me you heard!" Artie demanded.

"I've been sleeping most of the day. What happened?" Finn asked, rubbing the back of his neck and hoping the next words Artie would say were that Santana was fired.

"Schuester scored tickets to Game Seven for the Advertising Execs! How amazing is that?" Artie could barely contain his excitement, his exuberance clearly evident in his tone.

"No shit? We're really going?" Finn was dumbfounded. He was going to Game Seven! He couldn't wait to tell Burt.

_Crap_. He couldn't go to Game Seven without Burt, not after he'd screwed them both over with Puckerman. "I can't go man. I can't do that to Burt. We were supposed to go with Puck."

"That's the best part! Each Exec gets two, so you're coming and you can bring Burt! I'll drop your tickets off tomorrow, ok?" Without waiting for Finn to reply, he hung up the phone, too excited to even remember to say bye.

Finn hung up the phone, staring at it in shock. "Where's Burt?"

"He's sleeping on the couch. Why?" Kurt asked.

"Did he take his medication?" Finn continued, still staring at his phone.

"Yes. Finn what's going on?" Carole asked, temporarily pausing her adoration of Vlad to look at Finn curiously. She and Kurt both followed Finn into the Living Room where Burt was sprawled on the couch. Finn ran over to him, excitement showing in his actions.

"Burt! Wake up! We're going to Game Seven!"

* * *

**A/N: Almost back to happy Finchel! I'm starting to think that I can't write a chapter less than 9000 words anymore, so I'm scared to see how long the reunion will be. Thanks to SciFiMom2000 as usual!**


	21. Does Cupid Have a Mohawk?

**_Disclaimer: Glee is still not mine :(_**

* * *

_**"And it's like our friends all knew. They knew that within a matter of time we would be back in each other's arms. They chose to sit back and watch us, knowing that every little minute we're making our way into each other's hearts once again."**_

_**- Allison Mosher**_

* * *

**_Wednesday_**

"I don't know Noah. I have too much to do, and Mercedes has to plan her next article. We really shouldn't be going." Rachel's pleading voice came through his cell phone, causing Puck to roll his eyes.

"_Berry._ The fuck I tell you yesterday? You don't show and the video of you and Mer gets shown on the Jumbo-Tron," he replied as he sat down in front of his computer.

"Oh Hell to the No. You don't have that video and you know it," Mercedes cried into the phone, having grabbed the phone from Rachel just in time to hear that last part.

"You really want to fucking challenge me, Sir Mix-A-Lot? Listen to this." Puck turned up the volume on his computer so Mercedes and Rachel could hear the sounds of _'Hit Me Baby One More Time'_ starting up through the phone.

"Please, you honestly think we're gonna fall for that? You're just playing iTunes," Mercedes responded, Rachel shaking her head firmly in agreement next to her.

"You calling my bluff, Mer? Tell Berry to check her fucking email. I'll wait." Puck finished sending the email and sat back to wait, a smirk plastered on his face.

Rachel opened her email to find a new message from '_SexStud69_.' With growing trepidation she opened up the video attached to it, not quite ready to relive the night before her college graduation. It had been Puck's idea to have that little celebration for her and Mercedes at the store after it closed. What had started out as a simple glass of wine in the back room to celebrate their college graduations from Columbia (Rachel) and Fordham (Mercedes) had turned into both girls showing up to their graduations the next day with massive hangovers as soon as Puck brought out the shot glasses and bottles of Tequila and Vodka.

Mercedes, the look on her face mirroring Rachel's, held the cell phone in her hand as she stared at a very drunk version of herself filling the screen.

"_Hellooooooooo New York! I'm Mercedes, but you can call me Aretha. This is…damn girl, what's your name again?" she slurred as she pulled an inebriated Rachel into the frame. She pulled a little harder than intended, as Rachel stumbled into her causing them both to spill their beers all over their clothes, a fact which they both found hysterical._

"_Noah! I spilt my beer!" Rachel cried out, waving her beer in the air, causing it to spill more, making Mercedes double over laughing._

"_I saw Berry. Why don't you take your top off then?" Puck's voice, heavy with the effects of alcohol, came from behind the camera. He let the camera drift down to film first Rachel's chest and then Mercedes'._

_Rachel stopped laughing to look sternly at the camera. She attempted straighten the camera, but ended up pointing the camera at the ceiling. "Noah. This is not the time for that. I…what were we talking about?" Laughing she put her head on Mercedes' shoulder for a moment, before picking it back up to look at the camera again, proudly proclaiming, "I have to pee."_

"_So fucking pee Berry. Why are you announcing it?" Puck's voice slurred from off camera._

"_I have to pee, Noah. But not right now. Let's do another shot! Mer! Pour the Vodquila!" Rachel directed, stumbling over the words. Mercedes grabbed the bottle attempting to pour the tequila in the general direction of the shot glasses, managing to finally get enough into each glass._

_Rachel unsteadily grabbed hers, quickly downing it, as did Puck and Mercedes. "Let's sing!" she announced, slamming her glass down on the counter forcefully. The camera attempted to follow Rachel as she tried to climb up on a jewelry display case. Unable to coordinate herself enough to climb on, she accepted a boost from Mercedes, making her splay out on the counter like a beached whale. Undaunted, she shakily stood up, gesturing for her beer bottle. _

"_Turn up the music, Mer!" she directed, glad Mercedes had brought her Karaoke player. "It's Britney, Bitch!" she yelled at the camera. She started singing along with Britney Spears, strutting along the top of the counter. All was well until she got to the first chorus. "Giivve me a signnnn! Hiiiit meeee Babyyyyy One More—Ahhhh!" _

_Attempting to perform Britney's dance moves, Rachel inadvertently took a step backwards and immediately fell backwards off the counter, her skirt flying up and exposing her underwear to the camera, which began to shake uncontrollably as Puck started hysterically laughing._

"OK, I think we've seen enough," Rachel announced, pausing the video. She glared at Mercedes, whose shoulders were starting to shake. "You think that's funny? Let's see how funny you really think it is." Fast forwarding slightly, she pressed play.

"_Alright Aretha, let's see what you've got!" Puck's voice called out. Standing in the middle of the store, Mercedes began belting out 'Baby Got Back' shaking her ass for the camera. "Puckerman! You better be filming my Chocolate Thunder!" she cried in between verses. Puck obediently zoomed in on her ass._

Mercedes quickly reached over and pressed pause. "Enough of that. Let's see Puck's performance." She fast forwarded, expecting to see Puck, Mercedes' clip on weave on his head, singing Milli Vanilli's '_Blame it on the Rain'_. Shortly after Mercedes' performance, the screen went black, resuming again to show Mercedes and Rachel singing and dancing to '_Girls Just Want to Have Fun'_.

"I don't believe it! He really did edit himself out!" Rachel cried. Puck could hear their cries of indignation through the phone, causing his smirk to get even bigger. He couldn't help laughing when he heard Mercedes' voice come through the phone.

"Alright Puckerman. You're not as stupid as that Mohawk makes you look. We'll be there."

* * *

"I've got it! Why don't you put Ex-Lax in her coffee?" Kurt sat up on the bed excitedly, pleased at his idea.

"No. Having the shits for a day isn't punishment enough for her. Plus, that's like Middle School Revenge. This has to be something _epic._" Finn stopped pacing the room to look at Kurt. "Work with me Dude. This is my Arch-Nemesis."

"Well considering I've never had an Arch-Nemesis before, I'm not sure what the appropriate punishment would be," Kurt pouted. He thought his laxative laden coffee was a good idea. He furrowed his brow in concentration as Finn resumed his pacing.

He was feeling particularly productive this morning. He'd _finally_ managed to find a quote, and it had happened in the shower of all places. He'd been singing along with the radio when Slash's "_Gotten_" had come on. The instant he'd heard the one lyric, he knew that that was his quote. It was perfect, and he'd been able to identify with it instantly.

Now that that was taken care of, he was free to devote one hundred percent of his time and attention to ruining Santana. Unfortunately, the ruination of Santana wasn't exactly a problem he could take to his mom or Burt. That left Kurt, whose ideas all seemed to come out of teen chick flicks.

Both paused as they heard Vlad begin to bark from somewhere in the apartment. He'd opted to miss the current session of revenge plotting, choosing to stay with Carole. Vlad's barking ceased as they heard muffled voices, voices that were gradually coming closer to the closed bedroom door.

"Yo Finn! Open the door!" Artie's muffled voice came from the hallway. Finn quickly opened the door to allow Artie to roll in, Vlad sitting upright on his lap. "I gave your tickets to Burt. He's sitting on the couch staring at them in awe."

"Cool," Finn said distractedly. "Seriously, Kurt, let's get back to business. Ideas. Now." He snapped his fingers in Kurt's direction impatiently and resumed his pacing.

"What are you two doing?" Artie directed his question to Kurt, who simply rolled his eyes before responding.

"Finn is trying to plot revenge against his Arch-Nemesis, but none of the ideas I've come up with have been good enough."

Artie looked thoughtful as he began stroking Vlad's fur. "Santana, I'm assuming?" Finn threw an '_I can't believe you'd even have to ask'_ look at Artie, who immediately said, "Right. Need an epic revenge."

"I've got to take her down man. She has single handedly ruined my life and incidentally Rachel's." Finn stopped pacing to look at Artie. "You know the Ice Queen and you've got an evil mind. You were the one who thought of putting that video of Sue Sylvester dancing to _'Let's Get Physical'_ on YouTube. Help us think of something Artie."

"We've got these pictures, but we don't know what to do next." Pulling up his email on the laptop in front of him, Kurt showed Artie the pictures Christina had sent him.

"Shut up! That's _Santana_? Where's the smoking hot chest? How many zits can one have on their face before they get mistaken for a mountain range? "Artie stated as he stared at the photos in disbelief, his eyes flickering back to the brothers.

"Apparently she hadn't gone to Boobs 'R' Us yet to buy them," Finn replied smirking. "Is she going tonight? I can't wait to mention this to her."

"Yeah, she's going but no. Don't say anything to her." Artie tore his gaze away from the pictures to stare at Finn, the light bulb literally flashing above Artie's head screaming "Evil Genius." Finn, along with Kurt, stared back, both with confused looks on their faces.

"Huh? What do you mean no? This is prime revenge material." Finn ran his hand through his hair impatiently, waiting for Artie's response.

"Exactly Finn. Think about it. You know Santana's reputation around the office. She won't speak to anyone she feels is beneath her. Reputation is everything to her. She clearly doesn't want anyone to know about this makeover, which is why _everyone_ needs to see these pictures, especially the Peons she treats like crap," Artie explained.

"What are you going to do, make photocopies and stick them up everywhere?" Kurt asked skeptically.

"No, because this isn't 1985. We're going digital." Finn announced, catching onto Artie's idea. "Artie, make the layout. I'll make a dummy email account."

Forty-Five minutes later, the three of them stared at their handiwork, satisfied smiles plastered on all of their faces.

"Why don't you do the honors Finn?" Artie said, turning the laptop towards him.

Gleefully Finn clicked send, almost wanting to go to work so he could see everyone's reaction. "Part One of Satan's Revenge complete, Gentlemen."

"Part One? What's Part Two?" Kurt asked.

"No idea," Finn answered truthfully.

* * *

Rachel frowned. Once Noah had left and she'd kicked Mercedes out of her room, she'd tried to pick up where she'd left off, but her creative flow had temporarily left her. She stared at the last sentence she'd written, willing her brain to create more.

Maybe she just needed a break; she didn't think she needed inspiration, since her mind was flooded with thoughts of Finn. Pushing her laptop to the side, she leaned against the headboard, wondering what Finn was doing at that moment. She hoped Kurt and Vlad were still with him.

Getting off the bed, she headed out of the room, making her way into the living room. Mercedes was sitting on the couch watching an old episode of _Gossip Girl_, texting someone at the same time.

"What's that?" Rachel asked, pointing to a box sitting on the coffee table.

Mercedes, shocked at seeing Rachel out of her bedroom, dropped her phone in surprise. "You finally left your room?"

"What's that?" Rachel repeated, settling next to Mercedes on the couch.

"Dunno. It's addressed to you." Mercedes quickly typed a message on her phone before putting it away.

Grabbing the box, Rachel quickly opened it, her eyes misting over when she realized what was inside.

"What? What is it? Is it from Finn?" Mercedes questioned, seeing the tears threatening to fall from Rachel's eyes.

"No. I forgot I ordered these." Rachel pulled out 2 dog toys and a small dog shirt.

"Toys?"

"I ordered the Mets dog jersey, so we'd all match when we watched the game." She gripped the shirt as she continued. "And I got this squeaky cigar and stuffed squeaky beer bottle so Vlad would fit in on Guy's Night." Rachel fingered the beer bottle lovingly. She had tried to find a dog toy version of the beer Finn drank, but could only find a dog version of Corona, appropriately called "_Grrrona_." Tears formed again as she pictured how adorable Finn and Vlad would look sitting on the couch with their beers, watching a game together.

Unable to help the giggle that escaped her mouth, Mercedes stared at Rachel. Only Rachel would worry about a _dog_ fitting in at Guy's Night. Her giggles quickly died when she saw a random tear escape from Rachel.

"I guess we'll have to work out a custody arrangement," Rachel whispered sadly. "Maybe we could alternate weeks. I hope Vlad doesn't think that I abandoned him. I really wanted him to have his jersey for tonight though. I know Finn will be wearing his and I don't want Vlad to feel left out."

Mercedes managed to refrain from rolling her eyes. "He's a _dog_, Rachel. I don't think he'll care if he's not dressed appropriately." She sighed. She could see that for whatever reason, Vlad having his jersey was important to Rachel. "Girl, you want me to call Kurt and have him pick them up? Rachel?" She snapped her fingers at Rachel, who appeared to be deep in thought. "Rachel?"

Rachel snapped out of her trance. "Hmm? Right."

Grabbing the toys and the jersey, she headed back into her room, leaving a bewildered Mercedes on the couch. Placing the dog items next to her laptop, she thought for a moment, trying to think of a title for this chapter. A few minutes later, she began typing furiously: "_Chapter 8: Softball Scheming."_

Her creative flow was_ back._

* * *

"Thanks, man. Yeah, it almost makes me wish I was there." Finn hung up the phone, turning to Kurt and Artie with a satisfied smirk. "Mike says everyone is hysterical over the email. She's not in the office at the moment, though. The way you laid it out was perfect, Artie." He high fived Artie and reached down to Artie's lap to give Vlad a head rub.

"You were the one who thought of that awesome saying," Artie responded as he wheeled towards the door, Finn and Kurt following. Vlad jumped off of Artie's lap to lead the way down the hall.

"You're not leaving are you, Artie? I was just about to make lunch," Carole said, stepping out of the kitchen. "My famous Chicken Salad, Finny's favorite." Patting her son's cheek affectionately, she disappeared into the kitchen, Vlad close on her heels.

"Well if it's _Finny's_ favorite, I'd better stay," Artie teased, earning a slap to the back of the head from Finn.

The trio headed into the living room to join Burt, who was watching _The Price is Right_, the World Series tickets still in his hands.

"You excited about the game?" Artie asked Burt.

"I already called Blaine and my brother to rub it in," Burt responded gleefully. "I told them to watch for me on TV. If they can put Finn's ugly mug on TV, then I should definitely get on TV."

"I doubt we'll be sitting close enough to get on TV, Burt," Artie said, rolling to a stop next to the couch, while Finn and Kurt both sat down next to Burt.

"Hey, I'm not picky, I'll settle for the Jumbo-Tron. They can show me for a second in between all those ads they show," Burt replied, his eyes focused on the contestant playing Plinko on the TV.

"You know, I have an extra ticket. Blaine can-" Artie started to say, but stopped when he heard Finn gasp. He, Burt and Kurt all turned to look at Finn, who had a look of pure joy on his face. "You ok, Finn?"

Finn, a haze of glee clouding his ability to notice the other three men in the room, let alone answer them, sat thinking furiously. Burt's words reverberated in his head.

_They can show me for a second in between all those ads they show._

_All those ads they show._

Could it be possible? He mentally went through all his clients at work, trying to see if it would work. He glanced at Artie, who had gone back to telling Burt that Blaine could have his extra ticket.

"Bedroom. Now." Finn barked at Artie and Kurt, before he stalked down the hallway. Confused, Artie and Kurt followed.

"What's going on Finn?" Artie asked, watching as Finn held the door open for him and Kurt before slamming it shut.

"I thought of a way to get back at Santana, we just need to work out the logistics." Carefully, he explained his idea to the other two men, his excitement growing when he saw the grins form on both Artie and Kurt's faces.

"Lemme make some phone calls when I get back to the office," Artie promised, his smile growing wider at the thought.

Finn grinned. If he could pull this off, _when_ he pulled this off, he'd be keeping his promise to avenge Rachel and he'd be one step closer to being the man who deserved Rachel.

* * *

Fresh from yet another successful meeting, Santana sauntered into the elevator. She threw her patented glare at the other occupants of the elevator, who instinctively took a step back away from her, giving her more room in the elevator.

Getting off on the 23rd floor, her secretary, Lori, was waiting in the foyer for her as usual. "Good afternoon Ms. Lopez. I have your messages." Accustomed to being ignored by Santana, Lori simply handed Santana her coffee and fell into step just behind her, reading off her messages.

"How many times have I told you that I will _only_ drink Arabica Gourmet Coffee? This tastes like Maxwell House Crap, which may be the official brand of secretaries and therefore fine for you, but I am a Marketing Director." Santana emphasized her displeasure by spitting out the coffee and thrusting it back in Lori's hands, spilling it all over Lori's shirt in the process.

The poor secretary stood there in shock as Santana stalked off, her usual "_I'm better than everyone_" smirk firmly in set on her face. She sauntered past everyone, expecting to see the men checking her out and the women giving her jealous glares. Sticking her chest out and tilting her head, she proudly strolled towards her office, ready to prepare for her next meeting.

45 minutes and 3 beratings of her secretary later, she emerged from her office, ready to greet her next clients in the conference room. As usual she paraded down the hall, ready to receive the usual looks and glares. She deflated a little when she realized that the hall was devoid of people. Normally people were constantly walking in and out of offices, but at the moment, the corridor was empty. She could hear peals of laughter coming from various offices and she rolled her eyes in disgust. Her coworkers were _such_ Simpletons. She didn't understand the appeal of those stupid e-mail forwards her coworkers were so fond of sending each other.

Head held high, she chose to keep walking. She spotted that dork from Graphics (who never failed to drool at the sight of her) stepping out of his office and assumed the position, sticking her chest out and putting her nose in the air.

If she had bothered to put her nose down a little, she might have noticed that instead of drool coming out of his mouth, it was silent laughter.

* * *

Rachel sighed, glancing out the window of the limo. Apparently, Noah wasn't kidding when he'd texted and said that a limo would be outside her building at 5:45 sharp to make sure they didn't try and 'accidentally' get lost on the way to Citi Field.

She thought longingly of her laptop. She'd made so much progress that afternoon and it was only the thought of that stupid video being posted on YouTube where her future fans would be able to view it that made her stop and get ready for the game.

She watched as the stadium came into view. Had it really only been 12 days since she'd been here with Finn? It seemed like a lifetime ago.

Biting her lip to keep the tears from falling, she stared resolutely at the crowds of people streaming through the parking lot as the limo slowly made its way towards the drop off area. Her eyes fell on a group of men heading away from the limo. From the back, the taller one had the same general build as Finn, along with the same type of hair that just doesn't stay neat. For a second, hope flooded her heart, until she realized that the odds of him being here were practically zero.

"Oh Lord, I can see that stupid Mohawk from here," Mercedes announced, peering out the window. Sure enough, Puck was waiting impatiently for them in the Limo drop off area.

"S'up Berry. S'up Aretha," he said as they climbed out of the limo. He eyed Rachel's Mets jersey; open over a simple white tank top. "Damn Berry. I thought you were stuffing that dress the other day, but you really do have a rack. Not as nice as Aretha's but not bad." He ducked as Rachel attempted to swat him on the back of the head.

Turning to Mercedes, he slyly added, "You finally gonna let me motorboat them as thanks for the tickets?" He managed to duck Mercedes' hand, but didn't anticipate Rachel's swinging hand, wincing when it made contact with the back of his head.

Laughing, he wrapped an arm around both girls as he led them over to the VIP entrance. Nodding at the staff, who were obviously used to seeing Puck, he walked them over to the waiting private elevator for the short ride to the Suite Level.

Stepping out of the elevator, the girls followed the Puck down the wide corridor to Suite 212. "Ladies, after you," Puck announced, swinging the door open.

Rachel's mouth dropped open as she took in the Suite. Beside her, she could hear Mercedes whisper, "_damn."_

* * *

"Wow! Did you see all those limos! What celebrities you think are in there?" Burt asked Blaine and Finn excitedly as they waited in the Rotunda for Artie and Mike. "Maybe we'll be sitting near Jerry Seinfeld!"

Finn smiled at Burt's excitement. He felt like the roles were reversed and he was the father taking his son to his first baseball game. "Seinfeld's a huge Mets fan. I bet he's here. Ray and I saw him last time," he said as he spotted Mike pushing Artie's wheelchair through security. "Here comes Artie and Mike."

He glanced behind them wondering if Mike had brought Tina. Part of him hoped he didn't, because she was a link to Rachel, but another part of him hoped that he _did_ for the same reason.

He wasn't sure if he was relieved or upset when he realized that Tina was nowhere in sight.

* * *

Puck wasn't kidding when he said that the suites could hold 30 people. It was immense. A large bar complete with bar stools ran along one side. The room was carpeted, with a plush sofa and arm chairs set up across from the bar. A table and chairs were set up near a buffet, which was overflowing with all sorts of food. Several flat screen TVs were hanging around the suite, and Rachel could see several rows of seats in a porch area outside the suite. Walking out to the porch, she admired the view of the field. They were just to the left of home plate, with a perfect view of the field.

Finn would have _loved_ this. Rachel bit her lip again, determined to not cry.

Puck inadvertently helped her out, making her laugh when she heard his voice arguing with Mercedes inside. "Aretha, this is a fucking _baseball game._ You're in Man Land, there's no Chick food like _Hummus_ here. It's strictly Man food."

"And what is wrong with Hummus? I've seen you eat it."

"Fuck you Mer. You know I didn't know what it was when I ate it."

Rachel walked back inside, ready to break up the latest argument. The two of them had always bantered like this, and more often than not, Rachel played the role of peacekeeper. Mercedes was standing by the food, eying Puck, who was now rummaging through the fridge.

"Shit."

"What's the matter, Noah?" Rachel asked, trying to stifle a laugh.

"The fucking staff always puts the wrong beer in the fridge. I can't drink this shit," he said as he pulled Coors out of the refrigerator. "Now I've got to fucking walk to the concession stand and get the good shit." Closing the fridge, he glanced at the two of them. "You chicks want a different beer?"

Taking their beer orders, he walked out of the suite, leaving them to gossip in peace. Smirking, he shut the door behind him.

It was time to put his plan into action.

* * *

Finn, Burt, Artie and Blaine happily settled into their seats, saving one for Mike, who'd stopped at the bathroom. Finn smiled as he watched Blaine, Artie and Burt staring around the stadium in awe, taking in the World Series festivities, much he had done when he came with Rachel. His smile died a little when he remembered how excited Rachel had been to come to this game. It didn't seem fair that he was here and she was home. He watched quietly as the three of them argued over who should make the first beer run.

Blaine had been ecstatic when Kurt had called and told him that Artie had an extra ticket, immediately leaving work to go home and grab his jersey. When he had showed up at Finn's apartment, Kurt had been horrified to find him dressed exactly like Finn and Burt, in jerseys and jeans, feeling that since this was such an important game, all three men should dress up for the occasion.

Finn chuckled as he thought of the one and only game he and Burt had brought Kurt to. Kurt had insisted on wearing a designer outfit in the appropriate Mets color scheme, only to get into a fight with the 7 year old sitting behind him who'd dropped a slice of pizza on Kurt's designer clad back.

Needless to say, Kurt had not been offended when Artie offered his ticket to Blaine and not him. He was perfectly content to stay behind at Finn's watching some Tom Hanks Chick Flick marathon with Carole and Vlad.

"Earth to Finn! Hello!"

Finn was brought out of his reminiscing by Burt calling his name. "Huh?" he asked stupidly.

"Didn't you hear? We nominated you to go for the first round," Burt explained, grinning. "We took a vote and everyone voted for you."

"Whatever." He got up from his seat, climbing over Burt and Blaine. The joke was on them. He'd rather get the beer before the game started, that way he wouldn't miss anything. Waving at Will, who'd just arrived, he made his way to the concession stand, grabbing Mike on the way. Quickly, they ordered the beers and brought them back. Finn was just handing Burt his beer when he saw Santana sauntering down the aisle towards her seat, Quinn just behind her. Anger surged through his body at the sight of her, but he couldn't resist smirking when he saw several of his coworkers laughing at Santana, who was either oblivious to it or purposely choosing to ignore it.

He couldn't wait till the 7th inning stretch, which was when Artie's contact promised it would happen.

Finn glanced at the Jumbo-Tron which had a countdown going until the first pitch. He had more than enough time to hit the bathroom before the game started.

"I'm heading to the bathroom. Watch my beer for me," he told Burt, handing him the bottle.

"Only if you bring me back a Sausage and Pepper Hero and don't tell your mother about it."

"Deal." Chuckling, he headed towards the bathroom, throwing a nasty glance in Santana's direction, but unable to resist smiling at the thought of what awaited her.

* * *

Mercedes ventured out onto the porch area, while Rachel was using the en suite bathroom. Fiddling with the binoculars that were provided, she idly scanned the crowd, hoping to see a celebrity. She did a double take as she scanned over one section. _Was that Jay-Z?_ Excitedly, she scanned the area, assuming that if Jay-Z was there, Beyoncé would be too. Not seeing Beyoncé, she focused back on Jay-Z, only to find that it wasn't him at all.

Damn.

She was still focusing the binoculars on the Jay-Z look alike, when she noticed a tall man standing nearby handing out beers through the lens. Her eyes nearly bugged out of her head when she realized who it was.

Pulling out her cell phone, she quickly texted Kurt, whose simple answer of _'yes, he is_,' confirmed what she already knew.

Finn and Rachel were both at the game, unbeknownst to each other.

This game suddenly got a lot more interesting, and it hadn't even started yet.

* * *

Santana couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. She'd emerged from her last meeting of the day, victorious as usual. She'd done her usual power walk back to her office, but the corridor was still empty. She saw people in small groups around various computers, still laughing at whatever stupid e-mail forward was being circulated.

People had been behaving strangely all afternoon. At first, she'd assumed it was due to the excitement of Will getting the tickets, but then the impossible happened: Women were actually _talking _to her and men weren't flat out ogling her.

Was it her outfit? She'd worn that new suit today, the one that was designed to show off her assets and was guaranteed to make the other women in the office jealous. No, it couldn't be that. She'd seen Will eying her as she bent over his desk when they'd discussed the Victoria's Secret account.

Not to mention that her current outfit of low cut tank top over skinny jeans was drawing the eyes of every man she'd passed on the way into the stadium.

She frowned as she took her seat at the game. She must be losing her touch if women weren't throwing jealous glares in her direction. Santana almost burst out laughing at the absurd idea. Like she could ever _not_ be a source of envy to women and a reason for men's jaws to drop.

She decided to test her abilities. She leaned over to flirt with Sam, knowing his girlfriend was sitting next to him. Positioning herself so he got a fantastic view of her breasts (a sight she knew he'd always enjoyed), she placed her hand on his thigh and greeted him in her most seductive voice. "Hello Sammy."

She saw Sam exchange a look with his girlfriend. If Santana didn't know any better, she would have said it was a look of amusement, which couldn't possibly be the case. No one in the office was hotter than her and she'd seen Sam check her out many times.

Deciding that he just didn't want to get into a fight with his girlfriend, who quite frankly looked like a beaver, she sat back to think.

She looked up just in time to see Finn send a dirty look her way, although it looked like he was also smiling at the same time.

Yeah, something was definitely off.

* * *

"S'up Dude?"

Startled at this blatant violation of the Guy Code, which clearly stated that under no circumstances was talking or eye contact ever to take place between two men at a urinal, Finn reluctantly glanced to his left out of the corner of his eye.

Recognizing Puck, he quickly turned his eyes back to the wall. "Hey Puck," he said, staring at the wall, following the Guy Code, which also dictated that all men must stare straight ahead when using a urinal.

Puck also stared straight ahead at the wall as he casually continued the conversation, further violating the Guy Code. "How'd you score a ticket?"

Both men finished and walked over to the sinks. "My office got a bunch of them. No idea how. I, uh, haven't been to work in a couple of days," Finn said as he washed his hands. He glanced at Puck in the mirror, wondering how much he knew. "You here with a girl?"

Puck shrugged. "Nah. I'll find one here. Uh, how you doing man?" he added cautiously, grabbing a paper towel to dry his hands.

It was Finn's turn to shrug. "I've been better, man." Puck could see the sadness swirling around in his eyes.

"That Berry's handiwork?" Puck asked, pointing to the cut on Finn's cheek. He watched as Finn put a hand to the cut, not saying anything, although Puck could see the sadness in his eyes become more pronounced. "Been there, man. Berry's got killer aim."

He saw a sad smile form on Finn's face before he turned and quickly walked out of the bathroom mumbling something about having to get Burt a sandwich.

Puck watched him go. _Shit. _This was going to be harder than he thought.

* * *

"So do you think they'll ever get their heads out of their asses and get back together?" Kurt asked as he came into the living room with a bowl of popcorn, rolling his eyes at the sight of Vlad humping his bear.

Carole finished putting the DVD in and settled onto the couch. Vlad finished and immediately jumped into her lap, his eyes fixed on Kurt, watching to see where he and that bowl of popcorn sat. To his relief, Kurt sat down next to Carole, placing the bowl of popcorn between them.

"Oh, they'll find their way back to each other. I've _never_ seen Finn look at a girl the way he looked at her," Carole predicted as one hand began petting Vlad, while the other fed him popcorn. "You know Finn. Sometimes it takes him a while to get it right, but he always comes through."

Both focused their attention on the screen as the opening scenes of _Sleepless in Seattle _began playing, each glad that Finn had gone to the game and gotten his mind off of Rachel temporarily.

If only they knew.

* * *

Thank fuck Finn was so tall, Puck thought as he hightailed it out of the bathroom after him. The sight of Finn's head bobbing above the crowd of people made it easy for Puck to tail him. He pushed some punk out of the way to finally catch up with Finn as he reached the end of the concession line.

Puck glanced around as he silently stood next to Finn in line. He noticed a group of business men dressed in suits talking loudly on their cell phones nearby. What the fuck was the point of coming to the game if you were just going to work while you were here? That was the sort of shit his uncle always did. When he was younger, he'd often accompanied Uncle Aaron to games, only to end up sitting alone while his uncle conducted business in the suite.

_Uncle Aaron_.

Puck smirked as an idea slowly began forming in his mind.

"So man, you gotta come by the suite. I have some fucking papers or some shit like that from my uncle for you."

* * *

Mercedes watched as Rachel picked at the food in front of her. Ever since she'd realized that Finn was also at the game, she'd been struggling with the decision of whether or not to tell Rachel. Puck _still _hadn't returned with their beers, so she couldn't even ask him. Watching as Rachel dully moved the food around on her plate, she finally made a decision.

"So girl, listen. I was looking through the binoculars before and I saw Jay-Z, so I started looking for Beyoncé, right?" Mercedes began, babbling nervously.

"Really? You saw Jay-Z?" Rachel looked up, interested.

"Yes. I mean no. I mean, I thought it was Jay-Z, but it wasn't." Mercedes, still babbling nervously, began wringing her hands together. "That's not the important part. Guess who I did see? I saw-" She was cut off by her cell phone beeping, indicating a text message. She opened the phone to see a message from Puck.

_**Get lost Aretha. Found Finn n bringing him 2 suite 2 talk with Berry. Don't tell her**._

She looked up at Rachel, who was waiting for her to finish the story. "So who did you see?"

"Huh? Oh, I saw, uh, Mr. Met." Mercedes blurted out the first name that came into her mind, aided by a picture of Mr. Met that was printed on the napkin next to her plate. "Look, uh, Puck forgot his wallet, so he asked me to bring it to him."

"Really? I'll come too," Rachel decided, standing up and grabbing her purse.

"NO!"

Startled by Mercedes' outburst, Rachel looked curiously at her. "Why not? I don't want to stay here by myself."

"It's just….Puck told me to tell you to stay here in case the waitress comes by because he, uh, wants more hot wings," she finished lamely, hoping Rachel bought the lie.

"Why? He's got a whole platter right there." Rachel pointed to the still full platter of wings.

Damn. Rachel was really too observant for her own good.

"Those are the wrong ones. He wants the boneless ones. He said to tell you not to let the waitress leave because she was -and I quote- 'fucking hot.'" Mercedes added that last part on, knowing that it sounded exactly like something Puck would say.

Rachel rolled her eyes, but she put her purse down. "Well in that case, I'll stay. God forbid he go one day without a woman. I saw the box of condoms he keeps in the bathroom."

"Be right back." Relieved that Rachel hadn't put up more of a fight, Mercedes hightailed it out of there before Rachel could change her mind.

* * *

Finn followed Puck out of the elevator, looking around in awe at the trophies and pictures decorating the hallway. He really needed to get some friends with access to luxury suites. He trailed behind Puck, his mouth gaping open at the interiors of the suites he could glimpse through open doors. His eyes moved a hundred miles an hour, trying to take everything in.

"Whoa! Is that the 1986 World Series Trophy?" Excitedly, he ran over to the display case to examine it closer.

Puck, who'd been checking his phone to see if Mercedes had gotten out of the suite yet, looked up. "Oh, yeah, it is."

"Man, Burt would kill to see this." Finn tilted his head, trying to read the words on the bottom of the trophy.

Puck, looking for any excuse to stall Finn, offered a bit of gossip. "Uncle Aaron's never gotten over the fact that the League hired Tiffany & Co. to make the trophy and not him." His phone beeped then, and he quickly checked it, getting confirmation that Rachel was alone in the suite.

Finn was so busy staring that he almost walked into Puck, not realizing that Puck had stopped and was unlocking a door. Puck held the door open for him. "After you."

Puck watched as Finn walked in, gaping at the Suite. He was so in awe, that he failed to notice that not only was Puck _**not **_behind him, he'd never even come into the suite at all, shutting the door as soon as Finn had walked in taking in the luxurious suite. He ran over to the porch area, checking out the view.

"Noah? Is that you? Your waitress hasn't co-"

Finn's heart dropped into his stomach at the sound of _that_ voice coming from somewhere behind him. It couldn't be.

Slowly, he turned around, his heart pounding.

_It was_.

"Rachel?"

* * *

**_A/N: I know, mean of me. I decided to make it into two chapters, because otherwise it would have been huge. Rachel's "I have to pee. But not right now," comes courtesy of me. I'm famous for constantly announcing that exact phrase when drunk. Why, I have no idea._**

**_Leave me a nice review Fran, and I may say it when I come visit!_**


	22. Rounding Home

**Disclaimer: Glee ****is still not mine, even after 22 chapters :(**

* * *

**_Well here we are again  
I guess it must be fate  
We've tried it on our own  
But deep inside we've known  
We'd be back to set things straight_**

**_I still remember when  
Your kiss was so brand new  
Every memory repeats  
Every step I take retreats  
Every journey always  
Brings me back to you_**

**_After all the stops and starts  
We keep coming back to these two hearts  
Two angels who've been rescued from the fall  
And after all that we've been through  
It all comes down to me and you  
I guess it's meant to be  
Forever you and me  
After all_**

_**-Cher and Peter Cetera, "After All"**_

* * *

_Rachel heard the door open as she fixed her hair in the bathroom. Assuming it was Noah, she took one last look at her hair before walking back out of the bathroom. "Noah?" she called. "Is that you? Your waitress hasn't co-"_

_She stopped short when she saw a very familiar body standing over by the door to the porch, her jaw dropping to the floor. She could do nothing but stare as he slowly turned around, unable to move, feeling as if her feet were glued to the floor._

"_Rachel?"_

Rachel stared at Finn, her mind trying to wrap itself around the fact that the man whose touch she'd been craving for the last two days was somehow standing in front of her.

"Rachel?" he repeated, looking as shocked as she felt.

"You're not Noah," she replied stupidly, the sight of him reducing her to stating the obvious.

Finn said nothing as he stared her, pulling his jersey away from his neck in a familiar gesture, showing Rachel that he was nervous.

"Where's Noah? How did you get in here?" she demanded, her eyes darting around the room, looking at anything but him.

"Uh, I, um." Finn ran his hand through his hair in frustration, unable to answer even the simplest of questions. Even pissed off, Rachel was still incredibly sexy and the sight of her standing in front of him was almost too much to take. He wanted nothing more than to storm across the room, take her in his arms and kiss her like that famous Time Magazine picture of the WWII sailor and the nurse, but he restrained himself, not sure of what she was feeling.

Plus, he _really_ didn't want to get hit with a shoe again.

His heart began to beat uncontrollably when he realized she was moving towards him. Hope soared through his body as she stopped in front of him, looking intently in his eyes. He stared back, his eyes locked on hers.

Maybe if he wasn't so focused on her eyes, he might have seen it coming.

_Thwack!_

His head reeled back as Rachel's hand made contact with his face, the sum of all her emotions from the past two days helping her to hit him as hard as she could. Her eyes widened as she watched the unexpected force of her hand across his face actually knock him backwards, causing him to stumble slightly.

Without another word, she turned and stalked towards the door, prepared to flee. She grabbed the handle, turning to look back at Finn, who was standing in the same spot, his mouth hanging open and one hand on his cheek. She turned her attention back to the door, trying to open it.

"What the hell? Why won't this open?" she demanded, trying to pull it open.

_"Not gonna fucking happen, Berry!"_

"Noah! I demand you let me out this instant!" she cried, pounding on the door. She glanced over her shoulder to see that Finn was still rooted to the same place.

_"Nope. I've blocked the door."_

"**_Noah_**!" Rachel hissed, becoming exasperated as she continued to bang on the door. "_Let. Me. Out_."

_"The fuck was that noise before? Did you Bitch-Slap him?"_ Puck's amused voice came through the door, making Rachel more irritated.

"**_Noah!"_ **Another pound on the door.

_"Look Berry, you two aren't fucking coming out till you both get your heads out of your fucking asses and realize you belong together. Just try not to take too long cause that waitress really is fucking hot and I left my condoms in there."_

"Fine Noah. Be that way." Without another word, Rachel turned and stormed into the bathroom, closing and locking the door behind her, leaving a shocked Finn in her wake.

* * *

"Where the hell did Finn go? The game's gonna start soon and he's got my Sausage and Peppers," Burt whined. This was his one chance to eat what he wanted without either Carole or Kurt yelling at him, and he fully planned to take advantage of it.

"Dunno. Didn't he say he was going to the bathroom? Maybe there's a line." Artie shrugged, signaling the hot dog vendor nearby. "I'm sure he'll be back soon."

Burt sighed. "I'll go get it myself. If he comes back, tell him he can eat the one he has," he told Artie and Blaine as he stood up to walk past them.

He reached the end of the concession line and stood there, mentally cursing Finn and the long line at the same time. "I'm gonna_ kill_ Finn," he muttered, earning the attention of the curly haired man in front of him.

"Excuse me, did you say Finn?"

Burt looked in surprise at the curly haired man. "He's my son."

The curly haired man grinned. "I'm Finn's boss, Will Schuester. Finn's such a great employee."

Burt smiled at Will's compliment. "Burt Hummel. Yeah, Finn's a-" He paused as Will's words sunk in.

_I'm Finn's boss._

"You're Finn's boss," he accused, his smile turning into a hard set line on his face as his bright eyes turned dangerously dark. "What the hell is wrong with you, Schuester?"

Will's smile turned into a look of confusion, as he stared at Burt. "Excuse me?"

"You're the one who thought of this whole stupid bet, right? What the hell did you think was going to happen? That Rachel would just instantly snap out of love with Finn, or that Finn wouldn't be affected by this at all?"

Will's mouth dropped open in shock. "I…I didn't…"

"What, you didn't _think_? Damn straight you didn't think. Are you so cold hearted that you have such blatant disregard for people's feelings and emotions? What kind of boss agrees to hand out assignments like that? I may not be the head of a fancy business, but even I know that's shady business ethics. Hell, if Finn was a girl, you could have been accused of sexual harassment."

Will said nothing, staring at Burt in shock.

Burt took a step closer to Will as he continued, jabbing his finger into Will's chest to punctuate his thoughts. "Finn's always been a good kid; he didn't deserve any of this to happen, and from what I could see, neither did Rachel. Both of them have spent the last two days miserable, wanting nothing more than for the other one to be right next to them. If your goal at the outset of this little bet was to destroy the relationship of two people who were perfect for each other, then congratulations, you've succeeded."

Burt's voice was deadly calm, but his steely tone and face red with anger gave away just how furious he was that his step-son had been subjected to this.

"I...I'm sorry…" Will began, the shock from Burt's outburst making him stumble over his words.

"Save it. It's not me you should be apologizing to. I'm not the one who's spent the last two days alternating between trashing his apartment and crying into his mother's arms nor am I the one who had an entire building take a petition out against her for playing the same song repeatedly as she poured her heart and soul into an article about her lost relationship for all the world to see. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm no longer hungry."

Will watched flabbergasted as Burt adjusted his hat, turned and calmly walked back in the direction of his seat.

* * *

Rachel leaned against the bathroom door, allowing herself to slump down against the door as she shook her hand, attempting to get rid of the stinging feeling.

She'd _slapped_ Finn. Why?

She'd honestly had no idea what she was planning to do when she'd begun walking over to him. She'd locked eyes with him, unable to focus on anything else, even if she'd wanted to. For one quick moment, anger at the situation, at Santana, at Emma and Will, took over her mind and she took it out on Finn.

The second she saw him stumble backwards, she wanted nothing more than to grab him and kiss the reddened area of his face all over to make it better, which was why she had to get out of there. She was afraid of what his reaction would be and she couldn't bear to see him upset again.

Noah had ruined her plan to escape, so she did the only thing she could think of and locked herself in the bathroom. Here, she'd be free from seeing the pain she'd caused him in those whiskey colored eyes that had so often reduced her to goo.

Rachel leaned her head back against the door, closing her eyes and picturing Finn standing there in shock, his mouth hanging open and his hand still on his face. She was surprised to feel something hit the other side of the door.

"Ray?" the word came as a whisper through the door. "Are you ok?"

The simple sound of his nickname for her almost caused her to burst into tears. This was crazy. The one thing she'd wanted more than anything for the past two days - _him _- was two feet away from her and what had she done? She'd gone and put another barrier up between them, in the form of a bathroom door.

She stood up, determined to talk to him, even if he didn't want to talk to her. Slowly, she opened the door, looking around to see where Finn was, hoping it wasn't too late.

* * *

"Ok, did you see that?" Santana hissed to Quinn.

"See what?" Quinn asked in a bored tone. She didn't even know why she was here, she hated baseball. The 20 minutes she'd been here so far had been spent filing her nails.

"That bitch from Design, the one who dresses like a man, just walked past and she looked like she was laughing at me! That's the third person to do that since I've been here. Do I have something on my face?" Santana turned her face towards Quinn for her to examine.

"Nope, you're good. Why would she be laughing at you? You know she's still mad that her boyfriend dumped her after he danced with you at the company barbeque." Quinn looked in the direction the woman had come from. "She's sitting with John and Nick. They're always cracking jokes, they probably told one just before she got up and she was still laughing when she walked past you."

"Ugh, her boyfriend was such a loser. I couldn't get rid of him for a like a week." She shuddered at the memory. "Maybe you're right. It's just been weird all day. You know some woman from Payroll actually came up to me and asked me which program I thought worked better, Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig? Like I would know!" Santana said smugly, gesturing to her perfect body.

Inside though, her mind was running a thousand miles an hour. Some loser from Marketing had asked her if she wanted him to get her anything since he was running to Burger King, even though it was well known she didn't do fast food. A mere secretary had dared to ask which zit cream she preferred, Clearasil or ProActiv as she fixed her makeup in the bathroom. Santana had simply glared at her as she applied a fresh coat of lipstick in the mirror and proceeded to inform the secretary that her monthly facials, which cost more than the secretary's weekly salary, kept her fresh faced and blemish free. These questions, combined with the idea of people laughing at her, was confirming her idea that something was definately up.

Unfortunately for her, she didn't know what.

* * *

As the door opened, Rachel looked down and saw him slumped against the wall next to the door, his hand holding his reddened cheek, his eyes looking suspiciously misty. Rachel's heart clenched in pain and want as she walked over to the bar, grabbed a bar towel and filled it with ice. Slowly, she turned around and walked back over to Finn, silently holding out the makeshift ice pack.

He stared at her for a second before taking the ice pack from her. Their fingers grazed in the transfer for a moment, sending sparks through both their bodies. Holding it to his face, he watched as she sat in a nearby arm chair, looking anywhere but at him.

After a moment, he stood up, still holding the ice pack to his face. He considered his seating options carefully. Not sure if it was safe to sit in the chair next to Rachel, he opted for the couch directly across from her, staring at her intently.

She could feel his eyes boring into her and she finally turned to meet his gaze. They stared at each other for a moment, each attempting to gauge the feelings of the other.

Not breaking her eye contact with him, she finally asked in a quiet voice, "How's Vlad?"

"He misses you. He's hanging out with my mom and Kurt tonight," Finn replied in a low voice, his eyes never leaving Rachel's face.

"I miss him too. We'll have to work out a custody arrangement." The words came almost unwillingly from Rachel's mouth, as her eyes watched Finn's every movement. "I have some things for him for his next Guy's Night."

Finn said nothing, confused by the conversation. _Custody arrangements?_ Was everything she'd written in the article a lie? Without realizing it, he lowered the ice pack away from his cheek as he continued to stare at her, trying to see what was going on behind those deep brown eyes.

Rachel noticed the ice pack lower and unable to help herself, moved towards him almost on autopilot. Silently, she sat next to him, taking the ice pack from him and holding it to his face with one hand, while the other hand rested on his leg.

"I'm sorry I slapped you." The words came out in a whisper as she pressed the ice pack to his face, her eyes focused on his reddened cheek.

"You were angry at me, and you have every right to be." Like Rachel, his voice was barely above a whisper. His head moved to lean against her hand automatically.

"That's the thing, I'm not angry at you. I'm angry at myself, at Emma, Santana, and Will, but I'm not angry at you." She shook her head, still not looking at him.

"You should be."

"Why? Because you made me start living again? Because you made me happier than I've been in a long time?" The words escaped Rachel's mouth in a rush of questions, her hand pressing the ice pack to his face harder.

Hope surged through Finn's heart at her words. "So it's all true then?" His hand moved to rest on top of the one Rachel had placed on his leg without him even realizing it.

"What's all true?" she asked, concentrating intently on finding a cold spot of the ice pack to apply to his cheek. She could feel his eyes on her, watching her every movement.

"I read the article. Did you mean it?" he demanded, getting frustrated that she still refused to look at him.

For the first time since she'd sat next to him, she looked at his face as she replied. "I meant every word of it."

The hand she had on his leg began entwining her fingers with his, without her consciously recognizing the action. "I know I was nothing more than a bet to you, but I want you to know that you had me from the second I saw you at that table. I've never fallen for anyone the way I fell for you. You inspired me."

For the second time since he'd walked into the suite, Finn's mouth dropped open from shock. Was that honestly what she thought of his feelings for her? "Rachel, you can't be serious."

"What? You really did inspire me. I start-" She was cut off as Finn's lips crashed onto hers. Her hand dropped the ice pack as she moved to cup his face. She felt him wince when her hand grabbed his cheek, so she wrapped her arm around his neck instead. Her lips responded eagerly, ravishing his mouth with her tongue and enjoying the feeling of his hand cradling the back of her neck. She'd missed this _so_ much. The kisses became rougher, as both sought to get what they'd been dreaming of for the last two days. To her disappointment, Finn began pulling away, keeping his other hand intertwined with hers on his leg.

"Don't _ever_ think you were just a bet to me," he said fiercely. "You stopped being a bet to me the second I realized who Santana chose for me. Did you know that I noticed you before Santana and Will even got to the bar? I watched you talking with Mercedes and Tina all through my meeting. I remember _everything_ about that night, what you were wearing, the way you rolled your eyes at Jewfro. I even remember watching you trying to shove something into that little purse and wondering why you just didn't bring a bigger bag." He smiled as Rachel gave a small laugh, sounding like church bells to his ears.

"You really remember all that?" Rachel was looking at him in surprise, her mouth in a small "O".

He could see some doubt still swirling in her eyes, so he used his free hand to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear before he continued. "I remember _everything_. It's what's kept me going these last two days." He ran a finger down her cheek, causing her to shiver. "God, I've missed you."

"I've missed you too, more than you could possibly know." She caressed his face tenderly, biting her lip at the same time. "Can you ever forgive me?" she asked, as she looked away, afraid of the answer.

Finn used his hand to turn her head towards him, forcing her to look at him. "Rachel, I've spent the past two days with a dog on my lap and my brother next to me, miserable, wishing one of them was you. And from what I heard, you were the same way. Something about a petition?" He smiled at the blush that suffused across her face. "I forgave you a long time ago. It's like you said in your article. I realized that I don't care that I was used. You used me, I used you. And you know what? It just proved what we knew all along, that this was so much more than some stupid article or bet."

Rachel didn't answer as she stared at him with wide eyes, her thumb ghosting over their entwined fingers. Her free arm was still wrapped around his neck; Finn decided to use it to his advantage and pulled her into his lap. She let go of his hand to wrap both arms around his neck, while Finn's hand rested on her thigh, rubbing small patterns as his other hand snaked around her waist, holding her close.

"Ray, I might have been dragged into this whole thing for all the wrong reasons, but I really lucked out because now that I've met you, I can't imagine being with anyone else. You've ruined me for any other woman." He leaned his forehead against hers; his mouth was so close to her lips that he grazed them with every word that he spoke. "You're it for me, babe. I'm Team Rachel."

She could feel tears forming in her eyes as he spoke, happiness flooding through her when he began placing soft kisses against her temples. Finn paused, using his thumb to brush away a tear that was making its way down Rachel's cheek, his own eyes misting over as he asked, "How is it possible that I've only known you for two weeks but I feel like I've known you forever?"

Rachel looked at him; the desire swirling around his eyes was making her heart beat furiously, to the point where she was positive he could hear it. She gave him his answer in the form of a kiss, wrapping her arms around him even tighter in an attempt to get him even closer to her.

Reluctantly breaking apart due to a lack of oxygen, Finn looked at Rachel determined to express how he felt. "I spent the last two days trying to find a quote that spoke to me like yours did, one that would express the feelings I have for you, and it finally came to me while I was singing in the shower this morning."

"In the shower?" Amused, Rachel's hands began playing with the hair at the back of his neck, keeping her face inches apart from Finn's.

"Fun fact about me: I like to sing in the shower," he said, placing a soft kiss on her lips. "Maybe if you're nice to me, I'll let you see a performance."

"Don't try to distract me. What's your quote?" Rachel asked, as she felt his lips trail down to her throat.

"_You just get me like I've never been gotten_," he murmured into her throat. Rachel barely had time to register what he'd said before she felt him nip at the soft skin with his teeth, letting his tongue drag along the same spot immediately followed by his sucking on her skin, causing her to arch her neck and allow a small purr to escape her throat.

"That's…that's beautiful." She could barely get the words out as another purr escaped.

Smirking, he continued his ministrations along her neck. "It's totally true. From the day I met you, you've understood me like no one ever has." His hands began wandering under her tank top, exploring the bare skin of her taut stomach, her skin hot to the touch.

She picked his head up to gently trace the cut on his cheek. "Is that..?" she asked, unable to complete the sentence as Finn was now placing kisses along her jawbone. Her body gave an involuntary shiver when she felt his lips barely graze her skin as he made his way down to her collarbone to resume biting and sucking on her skin. Rachel shrugged her jersey off her shoulders, trying to give him more skin to work with.

He looked up at her, the lopsided smile she loved so much on his face. "Yeah, some girl with killer aim threw a shoe at me, which kinda sucks, since I'm in love with her."

"Are you really?" she asked as she pushed his own jersey off his shoulders, her fingers leaving a burning trail along his arms, eventually reaching under his shirt to skim along the top of his jeans.

"Mmm-hmm," he replied, letting his tongue trace the hollow of her throat. "Don't tell her, but I'm so in love with her that if I had the choice between hanging out with anyone, and I mean _anyone,_ in the world for a day or sitting on the couch with her and watching _The Sound of Music_, I'd choose her every time."

Rachel stared at him. All of the emotion she'd been feeling for the last two days came out as his words registered in her head. She pushed him back on the couch, kissing him frantically all over, stopping only to let her hands pull his t-shirt over his head. Throwing the shirt in the general direction behind her, she ran her fingers over his bare chest as she looked at him.

"Finn?" she asked as she guided his hands towards her own shirt.

"Hmm?" he mumbled as he pulled the shirt over her head. He _really_ hoped she didn't want to talk anymore. The sight of Rachel above him, clad only in jeans and a bra, her hair mused from his hands, was slowly making him lose the ability to form sentences longer than two words.

He sat up slightly to start kissing the tops of her breasts peeking out from above her bra, his hands reaching behind her to unclasp it. His fingers gently slid the straps down, leaving a trail of exposed skin just _begging_ to be kissed by his lips. Softly, his lips followed the straps as he pushed them off of Rachel, tossing the garment onto the floor.

"Finn?" she repeated, placing his hands on her breasts. He resumed kissing the pillow soft tops of her breasts as his hands massaged them for a moment.

"Yeah, baby?" he murmured, capturing one pert bud in his mouth while his hand mimicked the action on her other breast.

"That girl who threw the shoe at you? The one you're in love with? She loves you too." He picked his head up to look at her, the blinding smile he loved so much illuminating her face.

Unable to speak, he grabbed her face, kissing her passionately as he attempted to roll them over, remembering too late that they were on a couch and not on a bed. He watched in horror as Rachel rolled off of him onto the ground, landing with a resounding thud that echoed through the room.

"Rach! I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!" he cried as he slid off the couch onto the floor next to a shocked Rachel. He pulled her into his arms, murmuring apologies against her hair, mentally cursing his luck. He _finally_ gets Rachel talking to him and what does he do? He dumps her off a couch.

He was surprised when he felt her body shaking with laughter against his and he looked down just as Rachel picked her head up from his shoulder, barely able to contain her laughter.

"You think that's funny?" he growled playfully, tickling her stomach. Rachel squealed, trying to cover her stomach and keep her hold on him at the same time.

Rachel was still laughing as Finn gently pushed her backwards on the floor, pinning her arms to the ground as he climbed on top of her. He resumed what he'd started on the couch, letting his tongue trace a pattern in the valley between her breasts while one hand reached down to pop the button of her jeans and slide the zipper down.

"You know," he teased, as he took his head away from her chest. "You keep laughing at me and I might not feel like playing with you anymore." As if to prove his point, he slid the zipper of her jeans back up.

He smiled when Rachel stopped laughing immediately, her hand reaching between them to slide the zipper back down. Her eyes never leaving his, she wiggled underneath him until she'd lowered her jeans enough to kick them off, leaving her in nothing but a tiny pair of cotton panties.

"I had a feeling you'd see it my way," he smirked, reaching up to give Rachel a gentle kiss on her lips as he let his hands dip into the panties, easily stripping her of them.

He glanced down at Rachel, drinking in the sight of her naked beneath him, her smoldering eyes staring back up at him. Tenderly, her ran his hands up her body as he kissed her lips again, more than ready to show her what being a member of Team Rachel entailed.

* * *

"They still in there?" Mercedes asked, handing Puck the beer she'd gotten him from the concession stand.

"Shhh. I can't hear anything with you yapping," he said, waving a hand at her to shut her up as he pressed his ear harder against the door. "I think Berry slapped him, but it seems like they're talking now."

Mercedes joined him, pressing her ear to the door. Puck was right; she could hear low voices and the occasional word, so it sounded like they were talking it out. She really hoped so, for Rachel's sake.

Her ear still pressed to the door, she looked at Puck when she heard a loud thud, unsure of what that sound was. Focusing on listening again, she now heard a couple of low sounds. "Should we go in there? What if one of them is hurt?" she whispered.

Puck smirked and held up a hand. "Relax Mer. If that's what I think it is, she's fine."

"I don't know," Mercedes said nervously, hearing more noises coming from inside the suite. "I really think I should go in there."

Puck, now sure of what was going on and wanting to annoy Rachel, decided to placate Mercedes and began pounding on the door. "Berry? The fuck was that noise?"

_"Noah! We're, uh…**oooh!**…..going to need a few more minutes!"_

Mercedes' mouth dropped open as she distinctly heard a moan followed by a mention of Finn's name, realizing what Puck already knew.

"Still want to go in there? Didn't think you went in for that shit, Mer." His smirk got wider as he watched Mercedes quickly jump away from the door.

She looked back, expecting Puck to do the same. Puck however, remained with one ear planted firmly against the door. "Damn boy, what are you doing? Give them some privacy."

"Fuck no. This is my only chance to hear what Berry's like, plus, I need some new material to torment her with." He turned his attention back to the door, only to have his head yanked away from the door by Mercedes. "Ow! The fuck, Mercedes?"

Mercedes released the hold she had on his ear, and took a step towards Puck, crossing her arms in a threatening manner. "Alright Puckerman. You better get this through your Mohawk real quick. If you don't get away from that door, I will personally tell that waitress who's been checking you out not to bother because you've got a _little_ problem," she said, emphasizing the word little with a glance at his groin area.

"Like anyone would believe that there's anything little about the Sex Shark in my pants. I'm a stud, it's common knowledge," Puck boasted. "You're just mad because you've never gotten a ride on the Puckerman Express."

"Yes, that's right. I'm _insanely_ jealous that I've never gotten to see the inside of your coat room," Mercedes said, rolling her eyes.

"Thought so, Aretha." He could hear Rachel now without pressing his ear to the door, so he squatted on the floor next to Mercedes. "What's wrong with this picture? The game hasn't even started yet and Finn's already rounded home, while Puckzilla's sitting on the floor of the hallway with you. No offense."

Mercedes shook her head, choosing to ignore both his comment and the noises. "What are the odds that Finn would be here too?"

Puck smirked. "Pretty damn good Aretha, considering I arranged for his office to get tickets."

Mercedes' mouth dropped open. "Damn! Who knew the self proclaimed Badass had it in him to play Cupid?"

"Berry needed to get out of her own way. I just made the arrangements, found Finn at the urinal, and made up an excuse to bring him here." Satisfied that his plan was working out so well, he puffed his chest out with pride. He cocked his head, listening to the noises coming from the suite. "Sounds like they're nearing the end."

"And how would you know?" Mercedes demanded, taking a sip of her beer. She hoped he was right, the floor was hard.

"For your information Aretha, I consider myself an expert in women's screams," Puck retorted. "Judging by the sound Berry just made, she's very close."

Mercedes rolled her eyes, not even bothering to comment.

He smirked to himself. As usual, his instincts were right. He'd known from the moment he met Rachel that she was a screamer.

Looking at Mercedes, a proud grin replaced his knowing smirk. "All I know is that those two belong together, and as repayment for tonight, when they have their first child, Uncle Puck gets to take that kid for his first Mohawk. You babysat Berry all day, what do you want as repayment, Aunt Aretha?"

Mercedes thought for a moment. "Aunt Aretha's going to buy that kid their first Karaoke machine and teach it how to be a diva." She smirked. "Twenty bucks says that the kid will know you as _Uncle Noah_."

"Nope. Not gonna happen." Puck shuddered at the thought of being known as '_Uncle Noah'_ as he motioned to the setting. "I think after all of this, we deserve to get what we want. Don't you?"

"Hell yes. You have no idea what I went through the last two days."

"To Aunt Aretha and Uncle Puck." Puck held his beer up, clinking it against Mercedes', a grin on his face.

* * *

_**A/N: Reunited! Now if only that would happen on the show! Finn's quote is from the Slash/Adam Levine song "Gotten"**_


	23. The Suite Side of Revenge Part 1

**_Disclaimer: Still don't own Glee. If I did, Kurt would rid Finn of his entire colletion of puffy vests._**

* * *

_**"Oh, yeah, the word you're looking for is 'Wow.' And the words I'm looking for are 'In your face.' " **_

– _**Scrubs**_

* * *

"I'm starting to get worried. Where the hell is he? Text him again Artie," Burt demanded, his eyes scanning the seats nearby, checking to see if Finn was talking to anyone.

"He couldn't have left, right?" Mike asked, as he checked his cell phone to see if he had any missed calls or texts. "Maybe we should have him paged?"

"There's no way he'd leave, not until after the 7th inning at least," Artie said matter-of-factly, earning stares from the other three. "You _know_ he wouldn't, Mike. He's been looking forward to the 7th Inning Stretch."

Burt watched as Mike nodded, confused as to why Finn would be looking forward to the 7th Inning Stretch. He'd never seen Finn get excited about singing "_Take Me Out to the Ballgame_" before. "Anyone get a response yet?"

His trepidation grew with each negative nod he received. He adjusted his baseball cap several times, his nervousness becoming more apparent to the other three.

"I'll text Kurt. Maybe he knows something," Blaine offered, whipping out his cell phone.

"Make sure he doesn't tell Carole. I don't want her to know we lost Finn," Burt stipulated. If she knew that they'd lost Finn, she'd be here in two seconds, kicking their asses while simultaneously searching for her son.

Blaine nodded as he typed away furiously, a response coming back quickly. "Kurt says he hasn't heard from Finn. He went to the bathroom right? He might just be on line for food or maybe he saw someone he knows."

"Maybe." Burt frowned, hoping that was the case. He _really_ didn't want to go back and have to tell Carole that her depressed son was missing. He thought of everything Finn had said before he left, trying to figure out where the hell he could possibly be. "Mike's right. He's not answering his phone, so let's have him paged. Blaine, go ask a security guard how to page someone and then have him paged back to his seat."

Blaine quickly jumped up, running in the direction of the nearest security guard.

Burt sat back, deep in thought. _Where the hell was Finn?_

* * *

"_Berry! I know you two are done, I sat through the show…twice. I'm opening the fucking door!"_

Rachel stretched slightly against Finn's bare chest as they lay on the couch, languishing in their little bubble of bliss. "Why is somebody always banging on the door and interrupting us?" she asked, placing a kiss on his chest. "First Kurt, and now Noah. It's really very rude."

"Can you blame them? You're smoking hot, babe," Finn replied, twisting a lock of her hair around his finger idly.

"_Berry! My fucking ass is sore, just like I'm sure yours is. Unlike yours however, it's not sore in a good way and— OW! The fuck's your problem Mer? What'd I say?"_

Rachel laughed into Finn's chest, picturing what was going on outside the door.

"_Rachel? What Puck is trying to say is that we'd like to come back inside, especially since the game just started. Are you ready to let us in?"_

Mercedes' pleading voice came floating from the other side of the door, making Rachel sigh. She wasn't ready to share Finn with other people yet, but it wasn't fair to make them sit in the hallway.

Begrudgingly, she sat up. "I guess we should get dressed and let them in before Noah breaks down the door and makes some crude comment." She started to look about for her clothes, only to be pulled back down. "Finn! We really need to get dressed!"

"On one condition." Finn's voice was husky as he placed a soft kiss on her lips and stared into her eyes.

"What's that?"

"We continue this tonight."

Rachel leaned her forehead against his. "Deal."

She got up quickly and dressed, her eyes scanning the room for any telltale signs of their activities. She glanced back to make sure Finn was fully dressed before calling out. "Noah, you can come in now!"

"Bout fucking time, Berry," Noah said as he walked in, followed by Mercedes. He walked over to Finn, giving him a fist bump. "Way to go, man. You got some fucking impressive screams out of her."

Rachel, her face beet red, walked over to Finn and wrapped her hands around Finn's torso, staring at Noah with a disapproving look on her face. "Really Noah? Must you be so vulgar?"

"It's the only way I know, sweetheart."

Rachel rolled her eyes but before she could say anything, the PA was heard throughout the stadium, reverberating through the suite. "_Paging Finn Hudson. Paging Finn Hudson. Please return to your seat."_

The other three turned to look at Finn, as his cell phone started vibrating yet again. Sheepishly, he pulled it out of his pants. "It's been on vibrate since my meetings this afternoon. I forgot to switch it back to ring."

"Not to mention you didn't have your pants on," Noah added helpfully, earning a smack from Rachel.

"That too," Finn said, laughing at how cute Rachel looked when she was mortified. He looked at the missed texts, typing a reply quickly. "I better get back. They're all wondering where I am."

"Go get them and tell them to come up here. It's just the three of us in here." Noah called over his shoulder, shrugging as he walked towards the bathroom.

Finn smiled down at Rachel. "Want to come get them?" he asked, not quite ready to let her out of his sight.

"Of course."

Hand in hand, they walked out of the suite, just in time to hear Noah's voice cry out.

"_The fuck_? Berry! You used my last two condoms!"

* * *

Santana still couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Bored, she scanned the area, her eyes critiquing all her coworkers. She spotted Artie and Mike sitting with two other men, Finn nowhere to be seen.

She rolled her eyes. Artie was _such_ a dork. Who wears suspenders and a polo shirt under a baseball jersey? The young guy sitting next to Mike had potential though. Intrigued, she got up and walked over to the group.

"Hello, Artie, Mike. Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?" she asked, leaning over so he could get a nice view and batting her eyes coquettishly. She could see the older man watching her, so she shifted slightly to allow him to ogle her also.

There it was again.

Artie and Mike exchanged looks of amusement, as did the two other men.

She decided to take matters into her own hands. "I'm Santana Lopez. I work with these two."

"Blaine Anderson."

"How do you know Artie and Mike, Blaine?" Santana asked, sitting in the empty seat next to Blaine.

"Through Finn."

Santana noticed Mike and Artie exchange looks again. Those two were seriously on her way to joining Finn at the top of her Shit List.

"Where _is_ Finnegan? Crying somewhere because he got dumped?" she smirked, not noticing the change that came over the facial expressions of both the older man and Blaine. She turned her attention back to Blaine. If she could get him, it just might make this game worthwhile.

"Are you enjoying the game?" she asked, brushing her fingers against his arm.

"It's only been two batters, but so far it's good." Blaine responded, glancing at the other men in confusion. "I've enjoyed watching the players stretching."

This comment earned snorts and chuckles from Mike, Artie and Burt, making Blaine grin and Santana roll her eyes. Men were so easily amused.

"Well if you're looking for more _mature_ company than the Three Stooges here, I'll be over there." She sashayed away, certain that Blaine would be unable to resist looking at her ass.

"Is she for real?" Blaine asked, looking at the other two.

"Unfortunately." Artie looked down as cell phone beeped, indicating a text. "Oh, it's from Finn!" he cried as he checked it. "He's on his way back."

"Oh, Thank God." Relieved, Burt adjusted his hat, allowing the images of Carole kicking his ass to leave his mind. "Now that I know he's ok, he better have my sandwich."

He sat back, confident in his belief that wherever Finn had been was irrelevant, so long as it was a place that had Sausage and Peppers.

* * *

"Wait. I don't know if I can do this," Rachel said as they reached Finn's section. She could see Artie's wheelchair right at the top, along with the back of Mike's, Blaine's and Burt's heads in the handicapped row next to Artie, making the panic in her rise. She slowed to a stop, still holding Finn's hand.

"Huh? Do what?" Finn asked as he stopped short; his heart dropping as he gripped her hand harder. There was _no way_ he was losing her again.

"What if they hate me for what I did to you?" she whispered, looking at the floor.

"Babe, trust me. They're going to be thrilled you're back. The last two days I wasn't exactly the most pleasant to be around." He pulled her face to his with his free hand, placing a soft kiss on her lips. "Okay?"

Rachel nodded; a smile on her face. "You go ahead. I just have to go to the bathroom."

"You sure? I'll wait for you," Finn replied, stepping closer to Rachel.

"Positive. Burt and the boys have been worried. You better show your face over there. I'll be there in two seconds." Pressing her lips against his softly, she released his hand and walked into the bathroom.

Finn watched until she disappeared behind the door, before turning and heading to his seat. "Hey guys," he said cheerily as he sat back down.

"Where the hell have you been?" Burt demanded. Noticing Finn's empty hands, he added, "And more importantly, where's my sandwich?"

"Sorry Burt. I uh, got involved in something else." He smiled at the thought, causing Mike, Artie and Blaine to stare at him strangely.

"Why do you have an '_I just got laid'_ look on your face?" Artie whispered.

"Cause I did," Finn whispered back smugly, causing Artie's mouth to drop open, and both Blaine and Mike to spit out their beers. Satisfied at their reaction, he slyly added, "_Twice_."

"With who?" Blaine demanded.

Finn didn't answer, gazing at something behind them with a look of adoration in his eyes. The other three followed the direction of his gaze, easily spotting Rachel standing nervously nearby.

"No fucking way," Mike cried, attracting the attention of Burt.

"What's going on?" Burt asked, watching as Finn stood up and climbed over the back of his seat.

"_That's_ going on, Burt." Blaine pointed as Finn escorted Rachel over to stand behind the four men.

"Did I miss something?" Burt asked, looking as dumbfounded as the other three.

"You guys remember Rachel, right?" Finn asked, happily wrapping an arm around her waist.

"Uh…" Burt stammered, at a loss for words. Artie, Mike and Blaine simply stared.

Rachel paled at the reaction of the men. She attempted to step away from Finn, but stopped when she felt him wrap his arm tighter around her waist, holding her to his side.

Mike managed to recover from his shock first. "Um. Rachel, how are you? Uh, yeah, Tina didn't say you were going to be here."

Rachel still looked nervous, glancing from one man to another before responding. "It was a last minute thing. I'm here with my friends Noah and Mercedes." She glanced nervously at Burt again, who had stood up, but still not said anything.

She stayed silent, unsure of what to do when Burt, with surprising agility, jumped lithely over the back of the seat and swept her up in a huge bear hug.

She smiled and hugged him tightly when Burt easily picked her up and swung her around. "Rachel, don't _ever_ leave again. I don't think Finn could take it. And I _know_ his furniture couldn't."

Rachel laughed as Burt put her down. "I don't plan to, Burt." She slipped her hand through Finn's, letting his fingers fill the spaces between her fingers. "Furniture?" she asked curiously as she looked up at him.

Finn blushed, running his free hand through his hair. "Yeah."

"Let's just say that Kurt's got some shopping to do," Burt teased.

Rachel laughed again, wrapping her arms around Finn. "Finny, did you tell them?"

"No, I figured you'd want to." He smiled down at her, encouraging her to go on.

"Well, my friend Noah has a Suite upstairs, and we'd love it if you four could join us up there. We have tons of food and alcohol," she added, suddenly unsure if they'd really forgiven her. She knew Burt had, but the other three had yet to say anything.

Judging by the reactions from the three of them, she shouldn't have worried.

"Are you serious?"

"No way!"

"Get out!"

"I _knew_ I liked you. Rachel, lead the way," Burt said, gesturing for Rachel to begin walking. Hand in hand, Finn and Rachel began leading the group towards the Suite Level.

"Kurt's going to be sorry he missed this," Burt whispered to Blaine. "Let's make sure we text him to rub it in."

* * *

"See? That's why _Sleepless in Seattle _is much better than _You've Got Mail_. Tom and Meg barely exchange ten words to each other and they still manage to convey all the romance and love in those ten words," Kurt sniffed, dabbing at his eyes with a tissue as the credits began rolling.

"Alright, I see your point, you win," Carole conceded, her own eyes misty. She grabbed a tissue out of the box just as the intercom buzzed.

"_Mr. Hudson, I have an Allie Larson here to see you."_

"Who?" Carole asked, confused at the name.

Kurt groaned and rolled his eyes. "Oh brother."

He stood up and went over to the intercom, pressing the button. "Send her up."

"You know who this is?" Carole asked doubtfully.

"It's Finn's secretary," Kurt responded just as the doorbell rang. "I'll see what she wants quick and then we'll start _When Harry Met Sally." _He strolled over to the door and opened it, staring at the sight of Allie holding a large pot.

His eyes scrolled over her low cut, tight fitting dress that he knew was part of Anthropologie's Spring Line. Her make-up was well done and her hair had been blown out professionally. He refrained from rolling his eyes, feeling too bad for her. She was obviously chasing a lost cause.

He held the door open for her to come in. "Hello Allie, how nice to see you again."

"Hi Kurt, how are you? I was worried because Finn hasn't been to work in 2 days, so I was afraid he might be sick. I brought him some of my famous chicken soup," she responded, holding up the pot and glancing eagerly around the apartment for any sign of Finn. She stepped further into the apartment, allowing Kurt to shut the door behind her.

"Why don't I take that from you?" Kurt offered, trying not to notice how thrilled Allie was to be standing in Finn's apartment.

"Where is Finn? Is he in bed?" Allie asked, secretly hoping her was. She'd be more than willing to play nurse and stand vigil by his bedside.

"Kurt? Are you ready to start the next movie?" Carole came into the hallway to see Kurt holding a large pot and conversing with an unfamiliar woman. "Oh I'm sorry; I didn't realize anyone else was here."

"Allie, this is my mom, Carole," he said, gesturing to Carole. "This is Finn's secretary, Allie."

"You're Finn's mom! I should have known; He has a picture of you two dancing at a wedding on top of his filing cabinet. It's next to the one of him, Artie and Mike at a football game. Oh, I can see the resemblance!" Allie gushed as she shook Carole's hand. "Finn talks about you all the time! I made him some chicken soup to make him feel better. I hope it tastes as good as yours does. He's always going on about your cooking. I'm trying to get him to eat better. He eats too much take out with Artie and Mike."

"Is that so?" Amused, Carole looked behind Allie at Kurt, who simply rolled his eyes before walking into the kitchen.

Vlad, who'd been catching up on sleep in his castle, choose that moment to make an appearance. He came sleepily around the corner, only to slip into watch dog mode as soon as he spotted Allie. He immediately planted himself in front of Carole, growling at Allie as the hair on his back rose.

"Vlad, what's gotten into you?" Carole asked as she looked down at the Chihuahua. "I'm sorry, he's always so friendly, I don't know what his problem is."

Allie took a step backwards, hoping Vlad's growls would bring Finn out from wherever he was to save her.

No such luck.

Her savior came in the form of Kurt, who returned from the kitchen and quickly assessed the situation. "Again, Vlad? What do you have against her?"

He quickly scooped up Vlad, who began to squirm, trying to get back to protecting Carole. "If you can't play nice, then you're going to have to spend time alone."

He walked down the hall to the bathroom, holding tightly onto the writhing Chihuahua. Grabbing Vlad's rubber steak from the floor of the hallway, he deposited Vlad in the bathroom with the steak, quickly shutting the door. Vlad immediately began protesting in the form of yips and growls.

Kurt walked down the hallway towards Carole and Allie just in time to hear Carole say, "Would you like to join us? We're watching movies."

"Oh, I'm sure Allie has lots to do," he jumped in, trying to convey with eyes just what a bad idea this was to Carole. Vlad was still protesting away behind the bathroom door, now adding howls to his repertoire.

"Well I really just came by to give the soup to Finn. Is he here?" she asked hopefully, looking around the apartment. She was surprised that Finn hadn't shown his face yet. He must really be sick. She snuck a glance at what she could see of the décor of the room just behind Carole. It was surprisingly elegant, yet still very _Finn._

Not to say that she wouldn't be making some changes when she moved in. She eyed the small neon light up bar sign advertising Heineken on the bookcase. That would be the first thing to go.

"No, he went to the baseball game," Carole said, the pieces suddenly falling into place when she saw the crestfallen expression on Allie's face. She glanced at Kurt, who nodded in confirmation before looking down at a text he just received.

"Carole, why don't you get Vlad out of the bathroom and get the movie ready? I need to ask Allie something. We'll just go in Finn's room so Vlad can relax."

Carole nodded, waiting till Kurt led a starry eyed Allie into Finn's room and shut the bedroom door securely behind them before heading to free Vlad. The little Chihuahua raced out of the bathroom, his paws slipping all over as he tried to gain traction. Yipping and growling, he followed Allie's scent towards Finn's room, desperate to get to her.

"Oh, no you don't, little dog. You're coming with me," Carole admonished as she picked him up from where he'd stationed himself in front of the closed door. She began walking back towards the living room, Vlad securely in her arms. "Looks like you're not the only one who has a Fan Club. But I have to say, you're right to bark at her. You and I both know she's not the one for Finn," she whispered, rubbing his head.

She sat back down on the couch, not even attempting to stop Vlad when he immediately jumped off her lap and ran back down the hallway, ready to begin his patrol and chase Finn's Groupie out of the house.

* * *

"Why, Blaine, you're not leaving already are you? I think the game has like 3 more periods," Santana cooed, grabbing Blaine by the shoulder from behind.

"Uh, they're called innings, and there's nine of them." Blaine cast a 'help me' look over at Artie and Mike.

"Oh, well maybe you can teach me more about the game. You don't _really_ need to stay with them do you?" Santana asked as she straightened Blaine's jersey, leaving her hand on his shoulder.

"Actually I do, we're switching seats, so I've gotta go." He removed her hand from his shoulder, causing Santana to frown deeply. Ordinarily, a few touches from her and guys would practically be removing their clothes.

_What was going on?_

"So, Blaine, that's a nice name," she flirted, running a finger down his chest. She noticed Artie, Mike, that old guy whose name she still didn't know and to her annoyance, Finn, all coming towards her.

"Thanks, my boyfriend thinks so," he responded.

As the implications from Blaine's statement sunk in, she took a step back, thinking that at least one mystery was solved.

Trying to save face, she turned to Finn.

"Why, Finnegan. Bravo. You've showered and shaved. Does that mean you're over the Hobbit?"

"If by Hobbit, you mean me, then no, he's not." Rachel's icy cold voice cut Finn off before he could respond, as she came over to see what the problem was. She placed a hand on Finn's arm, silently letting him know she had this.

Now this, Santana could handle. Her world might be turned upside down in regards to men, but even if she had the worst hangover of her life, was on an hour of sleep, or had a one hundred and five degree fever, a simple battle of wits with a girl who dressed like a two year old was not a problem.

"Well done, Finnegan." Santana waved a hand lazily in Rachel's direction. "You finally found a girl who doesn't mind your man boobs, which is good considering she's almost eye level with them."

Rachel slipped her hand into Finn's, calmly looking Santana in the eye, her voice still cold. "There's nothing wrong with Finn's body and it's no secret that I'm short. It's a fact I can't change about myself, just like you can't change the fact that your breasts look like you've had an augmentation."

Rachel watched as Santana momentarily faltered, but recovered almost immediately.

"Please, you wish you had this. Every man here, including your precious Finn, has checked out my breasts at least once, which I might add, are real. They're like a National Treasure." Santana smirked, indicating her chest. "It's just too bad that the only way a man will want you is as a result of a bet."

At the mention of the bet, Rachel felt the rage she'd been feeling towards Santana beginning to show in her words. She released Finn's hand, her voice deadly.

"Alright, seriously what is your problem? From the day I met you at _Maquillage, _you've been belittling me and I'm sick of it. I happen to like how I dress and maybe it is like a five year old, but at least I'm happy, unlike you, who goes around making people miserable."

"Honey, I have power, and with power I can make anyone I want miserable and I don't have to give a damn," Santana responded in a bored tone, flicking an imaginary speck of dust off her sleeve.

Rachel, her rage growing, stepped closer to Santana, unaware that behind her, Finn had grabbed the hem of her jersey, ready to pull her back if Santana attacked.

"Santana, you may have power at Schuester's, but I have people all over the country reading my words, my thoughts and my ideas. When you and I are old and sagging, or in your case sagging except for breasts that stick out, my words and ideas will live on by people reading them, while you on the other hand won't even be a memory."

Rachel motioned to Finn, Burt, Artie, Mike and Blaine, who were surrounding her. "I may be the "_How to Girl_" that you thought was 'so cute' and 'amusing', but you know what? When Finn and I sit down with our grandkids one day and they ask us if we were happy with our lives, I'll be proud to show them my articles that I've written, _especially_ the one that I just had published this month, because they will still be around. I'll be even prouder to show them the novel I've been writing. When _you're_ all dried up and withered with your big breasts sticking out, what will you be able to show anyone? All the people that hate you? Are the men you sleep with still going to be hanging onto your every word? You may have the "power" now, but will it last? Doubt it."

With that, Rachel grabbed Finn's arm and calmly walked away, leaving a shocked Santana in her wake.

* * *

Finn managed to wait until they reached the elevator before he picked up Rachel in a bone crushing hug. "Baby, that was _amazing_!"

Rachel wrapped her arms around his neck as he held her airborne, letting him pepper kisses all over her face before his lips found hers. "God that felt good. I've never done anything like that in my life, but she's just _such _a Bitch." She hugged him tightly before he released her and she slid to the ground, just as Mike, Burt and Blaine, pushing Artie, caught up to them.

"Way to go, Rachel! I think you're ready to take on Sue Sylvester now," Artie teased, high-fiving her.

"That was a smack down of Diva proportions, Kurt will be proud," Blaine commented, making Rachel blush.

"Rachel, I gotta tell you, for a moment there I thought you were overmatched, but damn, you didn't let her push you around. You sure as hell held your own." Burt adjusted his hat, visibly impressed.

"You _destroyed _the Ice Queen!" Mike cried, shaking her shoulders playfully as she stepped into the waiting elevator.

"Ray, how did you know?" Finn asked as he pressed the up button.

"Know what?" Rachel asked as she leaned her back against his chest and moved his arms so they enveloped her, still coming down from the high of besting Santana.

"About her boob job," Artie offered. "We've worked with her for years, and we only found out because of Vlad and Kurt."

"It's so obvious. They're too high and pointy. Look at mine, see the difference?" Rachel gestured to her own chest, not seeing Finn behind her daring any of them to just _try_ and check out his girlfriend's chest.

"I wish Noah was there, he'd have been able to spot them a mile away," she added gleefully, just as Artie's words caught up to her. "Wait. What do you mean you found out because of Vlad?"

"Babe, we've got _a lot_ to fill you in on. Turns out Vlad's quite the Ladies Man," Finn said, putting his arm around Rachel as they stepped out of the elevator. "You know my secretary, Allie? Well her cousin is one of Vlad's groupies…"

Rachel listened slightly mystified. Since when had Allie been willing to help her?

* * *

Allie stared wide eyed, hardly believing that she was finally standing in Finn's bedroom. She'd been dreaming of this moment for the past 3 years. Although in her dream it was Finn in the room, not Kurt, but it was a start.

"Have a seat." Kurt gestured to the bed.

Allie eyed the bed, picturing herself waking there every morning. She sat on the edge, wondering what side of the bed Finn slept on. "What did you need to ask me?"

Kurt watched her; unsure of how to start what he mentally called a "Finntervention." He glanced down at the photo text message he'd received a few moments ago again for inspiration. "Why are you doing this?" he blurted out.

Allie paled as she looked around the room, wondering if _she_ had ever seen it. She fingered the floral bedspread, surprised by Finn's choice of bedding. The thought that Rachel might have possibly been in the bed nauseated her.

She'd have to go shopping for a new bed and sheets. And definitely a new comforter.

"Why are you doing this?" he repeated as he sat down next to her on the bed, watching her closely. He could hear Vlad patrolling outside the door, growling.

"What…what do you mean?" she whispered, looking down at her hands in her lap. She sneaked a glance at Kurt, who simply arched an eyebrow as he waited for her response.

Giving up, she placed her head in her hands. "What am I going to do? I've loved him for three years. I've done _everything_ to get him to notice me," she moaned.

"And nothing worked right? Putting aside the fact that my brother is incredibly dense and oblivious most of the time, nothing worked because he's not the one for you."

"That's not true. Santana said she's seen him staring at me and that he was about to ask me out." Allie began wringing her hands together. "That's why I did what she wanted me to. She _promised_ she'd break them up." She perked up suddenly. "Do you think I should tell him?"

"First of all, consider the source of your information. This was coming from _Satana_. There's a reason the first five letters of her name spell Satan. She's _evil._" He paused, letting her absorb this. He pursed his lips together, trying to figure out how to say the next part.

"Look, I'm going to say this as nicely as I can. It's _not_ going to happen. Finn's given his heart away to another," Kurt said dramatically, his choice of words inspired by the chick flicks he and Carole had been watching.

"It's_ her_ isn't it?"

"Yes." He paused, unsure of what else to say. He could hear Vlad's growls coming through the door and inspiration hit him. "Why do you think Vlad hates you?" he asked suddenly.

"I don't know." Allie picked up her head slightly to look at him.

"Dogs always know when someone is a threat to their owners. Vlad knows that you don't like Rachel, and are threatening Finn's happiness and the little guy is doing his best to tell you to _back off_."

Allie looked at Kurt sadly. "He really loves her doesn't he?"

"You saw him, he's been miserable without her. He needs her like he needs the air he breathes and one day you'll find someone who needs you like that."

"I doubt it. Finn's the only one for me."

Switching tactics, Kurt decided to go in for the kill. "I know you like him," Kurt said firmly, crossing his arms. "But _why_ do you like him?

"Finn's perfect," she whispered, her face turning red.

"Allie, I can assure you that he is most _definitely_ not perfect. Did you know that he once blew up my mom's kitchen and singed his eyebrows off because he didn't know that you can't microwave aluminum? He had to take his Sophomore year picture with no eyebrows. I offered to draw them on, but he wouldn't let me."

Allie laughed, wiping her eyes. "Really?"

"Mmm-hmm. He also snores incredibly loud, often has gas that he thinks other people want to smell, has a horrible fashion sense and once thought that a Grilled Cheese Sandwich was God. He actually prayed to it!"

"Is that why he won't eat Grilled Cheese?" Allie asked curiously.

"Yup. Ever since he made a 'Grilled Cheesus' on his George Foreman, he's been afraid to eat Grilled Cheese, just in case it has a burn mark that looks like God again."

"That's got to be one of the cutest things I've ever heard," Allie said, thrilled to be getting additional insight into Finn. "What else?"

Kurt put his head in his hands groaning. This was _not _how his Finntervention was supposed to be going.

"I've noticed that he prefers to wait to start work until after he has his morning coffee. Is he not a morning person?" Allie demanded.

This was vital information. She'd need to know how early to get up, if she was going to have to make sure he got up on time too. "What side of the bed does he prefer? Is it this one?"

Kurt stared in awe at Allie. The girl was so far gone, it called for drastic measures. "Allie, look at me. He's not perfect. You only get to see the professional side of him, the side he wants people to see. I get to see him at his worst, and it's pretty bad."

"Oh, I find that hard to believe. Now, what about hi-"

Kurt cut her off. "I'm telling you it's bad. Do you know what a Dutch Oven is?"

"Oh, like the thing you cook casseroles in? Does that mean Finn likes casseroles? Because I could ask my mom for her-"

"No, Allie, _not_ the cooking Dutch Oven." Quickly, he explained what a Dutch Oven was, to the horror of Allie.

"Finn doesn't do that," she stated confidently. "He's too much of a gentleman."

"Oh really? Every Christmas, Finn and I would have to share the pull-out couch when the relatives came. He always thought it was hysterical to shove his face with food and then pin me under the covers, while he farted away, laughing hysterically." Kurt shuddered at the memory.

Allie stared at him, still not getting it. "Oh, but that was when he was a teenager. Plus, you're his brother."

"Brother or not, no human should have to suffer that. He thinks it's the funniest thing, and he'll do it to _whoever_ is in the bed with him," Kurt said, emphasizing the word 'whoever' for Allie's benefit. He decided to up the gross factor, since he could see Allie was considering this new side of Finn. "He cuts his toenails in bed, you know."

"Really?" Allie wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"It's true." Kurt actually had no idea whether or not this was true, but it seemed to be having the desired effect.

For all of a second.

"I can break him of that," Allie declared confidently. "If I got him to remember to check his email first thing in the morning, I can break him of that."

Kurt groaned. "But you shouldn't have to "break" him of anything. You have to love someone for all their perfections and flaws. You can't just change them to fit you, and you can't change yourself either."

"But…"

Kurt was on his last nerve with this girl. He raised his voice and flourished his arms as he spoke. "Let me ask you this, Allie. Do you love him enough to have everyone in your building hate you and sign a petition because you're playing the same damn song over and over again at full volume? Would you be willing to destroy several thousands of dollars worth of furniture and decorations because you are so distraught? Can you honestly say you love him enough to lock yourself away and not talk to anyone? Have you ever loved somebody enough that you actually forgo hygiene and could care less that you smell homeless because the other person isn't there? Would you disguise yourself to see the other person play softball even though it hurt like hell to see them?"

"No," she whispered, letting all the things Kurt had just said sink in.

"Then you don't love Finn and he isn't going to love you. What I just told you was what Rachel and Finn have been doing for the past few days. That's how much they love each other." He handed Allie his phone, showing her the photo he had just received.

Allie looked at him sadly, as his words finally registered in her brain. She looked at the photo and then at Kurt, tears slipping down her cheek. "I…I need to get out of here."

She jumped up; tears now falling freely from her eyes as she yanked open the door, forgetting about who was waiting on the other side of the door. Vlad instantly began growling and attacking as she raced down the hall, trying to get to the front door and escape Vlad nipping at her heels.

"Allie! Wait! I-" Kurt called as he chased her and Vlad down the hall.

Carole came out of the living room just in time to grab Vlad as he skidded across the floor trying to gain better traction as he chased Allie. She held the squirming Vlad as she looked at Allie trying to open the door, concerned. "Allie? Are you ok?"

"It was very nice to meet you. Rachel's a very lucky girl," Allie mumbled, wiping her eyes as she opened the door and walked out.

"Did you set her straight?" Carole asked, holding a very angry Chihuahua in her arms, while Kurt shut the door behind Allie.

Vlad relaxed and reverted to Sweet Chihuahua in Carole's arms once Allie was out of sight. He cuddled into Carole's arms, ready to be petted and adored. Carole instantly began scratching him behind his ears, making his eyes close in contentment.

Kurt just waved a hand in the air. "Who knew Finn was such a girl magnet? I have something to show you, but you better sit down." He walked over to the couch, expecting Carole and Vlad to follow. Once Carole and Vlad were seated, Kurt took out his cell phone, trying to sit next to Carole at the same time.

He hadn't counted on Vlad holding a grudge.

Apparently still mad that Kurt had locked him in the bathroom, Vlad began growling at him when he tried to sit next to Carole. He stood up, rolling his eyes. "Really? We're back to this, Vlad?" He looked at Carole, who was fighting back a laugh. "He wouldn't let me sit next to Finn for the longest time."

"Well, stand up or sit somewhere else, and show me what you wanted to show me," Carole directed, stroking Vlad to calm him. She looked at Kurt expectantly, who quickly sat down on an armchair, fiddling with his phone, until he found what he wanted.

He handed the phone to Carole, who looked down at the same picture Allie had just seen. Like Allie, her eyes misted over once she realized what it was, but _unlike_ Allie, her eyes were misting from joy. "Is that…?" she asked hopefully.

He nodded. "Blaine sent this to me just after Allie arrived."

She glanced down at the phone again hardly daring to believe it. Blaine had sent a picture of Finn, which wasn't that unusual. What made the picture so noteworthy was that he was holding hands…with _Rachel. _Both were wearing Mets jerseys, so this was obviously from tonight. Blaine had snapped the picture from behind as they were walking away from him, hand in hand. Rachel's head was turned towards Finn in profile, a laughing smile on her face as she looked up at him, while Finn was looking down at her adoringly, also with a smile. Both looked as if one of them had just told a joke that only the two of them heard.

"How?" she whispered, not taking her eyes off the picture. She stopped petting Vlad to trace her finger along the edge of the photo, noticing how both were staring at each other as if they were the only two people in the world.

She would _absolutely_ be printing this photo out and placing it on the mantle alongside their picture from the Gala.

Kurt shrugged. "I have no idea. He just sent the picture."

"Call you father," Carole demanded, using her '_don't mess with your mother'_ voice.

Kurt, recognizing that tone, quickly dialed, not wanting to piss her off.

Carole ripped the phone from him, "Burt? Is it true?" She listened intently for a few moments before hanging up. She turned to Kurt, a joyous smile on her face.

"No more movies, Kurt. We've got a party to plan and not much time to do it."

* * *

"Bout fucking time, Berry," Noah said from his seat at the bar as he watched Rachel and company walk in. "I've been afraid to sit down because I didn't know where you two did the nasty. Figured the bar was a safe bet."

"_Noah!" _Rachel screeched, mortified that Artie, Mike, Blaine, and especially Burt might have heard his comment.

"Please, Berry. You honestly think they don't know? You two seriously need to work on your poker faces. Besides, you both have sex hair. S'why I keep the Mohawk, the ladies can't mess it up. Just tell me where the boinkfest happened so I know where it's safe to sit." Noah smirked, enjoying the horrified look Rachel was sporting, her face a deep crimson.

That should teach her for using up his condoms.

"Noah, these are Finn's co-workers Artie and Mike. And this is Blaine, Finn's brother's boyfriend and finally, this is Bu-where's Burt?" Rachel, her face beet red, pointed each of them out in turn, looking at Finn to see where Burt was.

"He's on the phone. I think it's my mom."

"Oh." Relieved that Burt hadn't heard any of Noah's comments, she continued the introductions. "Everyone, this is _Noah_ and Mercedes."

"It's Puck. Seriously, Berry, where'd it happen?"

"_Noah!"_

Burt walked in at that moment, staring in awe at everything. "Wow. Never thought I'd be in one of these. I'm Burt, Finn's dad." He walked over to where Puck and Mercedes were standing, shaking each of their hands.

"Call me Puck. Help yourself to some food and beer, just be careful where you sit cause Berry and Finn got it on somewhere in here, but won't tell me where."

"_Noah!_" Rachel screeched again. She buried her face in Finn's chest, too mortified to look at Burt. She was slightly mollified when she heard Mercedes' hand smack the back of Puck's head.

"Again, Mer? What the fuck? You _know_ they were knocking boots, you heard Berry's screams."

"Right, well, I'm just going to grab some food and head out to the porch area," Burt said awkwardly. Rachel peeked out from the safety of Finn's chest, watching as he quickly grabbed some food and headed out, calling slyly over his shoulder, "Hey Finn, let's hope the Mets can score now too."

"I like this guy," Noah smirked, heading to join Burt outside as Artie, Mike, Blaine and Mercedes followed, all looking like they were trying not to laugh.

"I'm never going to live this down, am I?" Rachel moaned as she looked up at Finn who had an amused look on his face.

"Doesn't look like he's going to drop it anytime soon. Sorry, Ray," Finn said, kissing the top of her head.

"Berry! You two better get your asses out here or I'm going to assume you're playing hide the salami again!" Noah called from the porch. "And bring me a beer!"

Rachel buried her head into Finn's chest again. It was official. She was never going to be able to look Burt in the face again.

* * *

"So babe, tell me something," Finn asked as he followed Rachel, a plate of food in each of her hands, out onto the porch area.

"What?" She sat down next to him, carefully balancing one plate of food on her lap while handing him a fork, along with his plate.

Finn snagged a fry off her plate before answering. "When you gave Santana her smack down, you mentioned something about a novel. Does that mean you're writing?"

"Yes! I already wrote the outlines for the first 12 chapters, and I've actually written the first two chapters." The joy illuminating her face made Finn smile, and unable to help himself, he leaned over to kiss Rachel.

"You two going for Round Three, Berry?"

"Noah! Are you _determined_ to humiliate me in front of Burt and Blaine?" Rachel hissed, pulling herself away from Finn's lips.

"Shouldn't of used up all my fucking condoms."

"Don't worry, Rachel. Burt and I won't tell Carole. Can't make any promises once Kurt finds out though," Blaine teased, laughing as both Rachel and Finn went red at the thought of Carole finding out.

"Not tell Carole what?" Burt asked. Fortunately for Finn and Rachel, he instantly forgot about what he'd just asked as he watched Carlos Beltran hit a double, scoring the runner on second. "Yessssssssssss!" he cheered, high fiving Blaine next to him.

Artie looked over at Finn. "Let's hope that happens tomorrow at softball."

"You have softball tomorrow?" Rachel asked, taking a bite of her salad.

"Yeah, you and Vlad coming?"

"Only if you promise not to strike out three times like last time," Rachel teased, the words slipping out of her mouth before she could stop them.

"How did you know about that?" Finn asked, holding a fry midway between his mouth and plate. "Wait…were you there?" He stared at Rachel, watching her blush spread across her face. "You _were_ there! He paused. "Why didn't I see you?"

Rachel's blush got even deeper. "I…I was disguised."

"Disguised?" Finn's amusement quickly turned to realization. "You were the blonde in the baseball hat weren't you? _That's_ why you wanted Kurt to come over!"

Rachel said nothing, her face growing even more scarlet.

He chuckled. "I should have known that was a Kurt disguise."

"_What the fuck?"_ Puck's voice cut through their discussion. Finn turned to see Puck covered in beer and staring down at his open beer can.

Rachel smirked as she leaned over towards Noah. "Oh, I'm sorry Noah. Did I forget to mention that I dropped your beer and I may have shaken it as I picked it up?"

"Berry, you are so dead," he sputtered as he wiped beer off his face amid the laughter of everyone else.

Rachel looked at Finn and shrugged. "What? I'm in the mood for a little revenge."

Finn laughed. "Yeah, about that…." He leaned close, whispering what he, Artie and Kurt had come up with for Santana. Rachel's grin got wider as she listened.

Santana was going _down._

* * *

Quinn looked up as Santana stormed back to her seat. "What's your problem?" she asked, not really caring but figuring it was better than watching the game.

"Nothing, just Finn's stupid girlfriend and his even stupider colleagues," she huffed, crossing her arms. "Ok, seriously? Who wouldn't want this?" she asked, gesturing to her body. "I've turned gay men straight."

"Wait, what girlfriend?" Quinn asked. "I thought they broke up."

"Ugh, don't get me started. The two of them are such losers that they couldn't stay away from each other. Do you _believe_ she accused my breasts of being fake?" Santana sulked. "Like she would even know. She's flatter than a piece of paper."

Quinn laughed as she eyed Santana's chest. She _had_ always wondered about Santana's chest.

"She's just jealous," Santana fumed, crossing and uncrossing her arms. "She's got the body of an eleven year old boy."

She sat back, still furious as Finn's words from the other day popped into her head.

_Payback's a Bitch, just like you._

A smirk crossed her face as she realized that Finn couldn't even do his dirty work himself, he had to get Man-Hands to do it.

She sat back, suddenly content.

If that was his idea of payback, she had nothing to worry about.

* * *

**_A/N: Sorry for the delay! I got sidetracked by Serendipity and then got stuck on Allie's part. I had to break this chapter up into two sections, so there's still one more chaper and an epilogue to come! Also, if you don't know what a Dutch Oven is, consider yourself lucky._**

**_Thanks to SciFiMom2000 for putting up with my whining and helping me write Allie's part!_**


	24. The Suite Side of Revenge Part 2

_**Disclaimer: Glee does not belong to me**_

* * *

"_**There's nothing wrong with revenge…it's the best way to get even."**_

–_**Archie Bunker, All in the Family**_

* * *

Kurt raced around the apartment, Vlad hot on his heels. "Carole! Call Vlad! He won't stop following me!"

Carole came into the living room to see what the problem was, a mixing bowl firmly in hand as she stirred frantically. She almost started laughing at the sight in front of her. "What's the problem?" she asked, as if it wasn't already obvious.

Kurt had been trying to clean up so he could decorate, but Vlad, ever suspicious and still holding a grudge about the bathroom incident, had been following Kurt to make sure he didn't touch any of his toys or his beloved bear. If Kurt took a step to the left, so did Vlad. If he stepped too close to any of the toys Vlad had strategically placed around the room, he was greeted with a growl.

"_That's _the problem," he scowled, pointing at Vlad, who at the moment was trying to protect his stuffed kangaroo near Kurt's foot by growling at the offending foot.

Carole smiled. "Vlad, come with Grandma and leave Uncle Kurt alone. He has to decorate, and besides, it's time for your dinner," she directed in her best '_Grandma knows best'_ voice. Vlad, who perked up at the word _dinner_, threw a final growl at Kurt before running into the kitchen.

"Now, hurry Kurt. I told your father to text me when they're all on their way back. Did you invite Rachel's friends?" she asked over her shoulder as she walked back towards the kitchen and a waiting Vlad.

"Yeah, Tina's on her way over to help now," Kurt called, frantically trying to pick up Vlad's toys and throw them in his castle before he finished eating. He'd just finished throwing the last toy into the castle when the buzzer rang. "There she is now."

"_Mrs. H., I have a Tina Cohen-Chang here. Should I send her up?"_

Carole gave the ok, leaving the door slightly ajar so Tina could let herself in and went back into the living room to help Kurt.

"Kurt? Are you here?" Tina called as she tentatively opened the door. "I brought the stuff you asked for."

"In here, Tina!" Kurt called back from the living room.

Tina walked into the living room, dragging a large box. "I can't _believe_ I brought this." She looked at Carole and introduced herself. "I'm Tina, Rachel's friend."

"She's also dating Mike," Kurt added, taking the box from her. "Tina, this is Carole, mine and Finn's mom."

"Oh, I like Mike. He's _such_ a nice boy. And what a dancer! Remember Kurt?" Carole asked as she shook Tina's hand. "I wonder if Rachel has anymore friends that we could introduce Artie to?" she mused.

Kurt, who remembered all too well Mike dancing at last year's 4th of July party, simply started fanning his face in response.

"So Tina, do you know anything about how they got back together?" Kurt asked as he began unpacking the stuff Tina had brought. "Dad didn't know anything."

"Yeah, Mercedes filled me in when I called her to find out where she keeps that thing," Tina responded looking with disdain at the Karaoke machine she'd had to pick up from Mercedes' apartment. "Apparently Mercedes' and Rachel's friend Puck arranged for the office to get tickets and then found Finn, brought him back to the suite and locked them in there until they made up." She laughed aloud at the thought of the two of them being locked in there, knowing what had gone on.

"I don't know who Puck is, but I owe him some cookies for helping my Finny," Carole declared, as she hung a banner across the windows. "There. You two keep decorating, and I'm going to make Puck some cookies. He sounds like such a _thoughtful_ boy."

* * *

"_Again?_ Seriously, you two need to get a fucking room! Where are your hands, Berry? I've been watching them go further south the last couple of innings."

Rachel reluctantly pulled her lips away from Finn's to glare at Noah from her position on Finn's lap. "For your information, both of my hands are in plain sight. Maybe you should stop watching us, Noah."

"No can do. Cause then I couldn't announce what you're doing to everyone and embarrass the shit out of you," Noah replied, smirking when he saw Rachel huff in indignation. "If anyone should be kissing and groping in the Suite O'Sex, it should be _me,_ but I can't because you two used up all my condoms. And the punishment for that is total humiliation, Berry."

"Speaking of total humiliation, it's almost time, Finn," Artie announced as he looked at the scoreboard. "I just got a text saying it's coming up soon."

"Let's get down there. I want to see her face up close. Coming Rach?" Finn asked, as he rubbed her thigh.

"I wouldn't miss it. I want to see that Bitch suffer just as much as you do, Finny." Rachel hopped off his lap, taking his hand to pull him out of his seat. "Ready Artie?"

"Where are you guys going?" Burt asked, glancing back at them before turning his face towards the field again.

"Just taking care of some business," Finn replied vaguely.

"You want to come Noah? You'll get to see one of the most obvious pairs of augmented breasts I've ever seen," Rachel promised, hoping her peace offering would get Noah to stop making crude comments about her and Finn.

"Hell yeah, I'm coming!" He quickly got up and started pushing Artie's wheelchair towards the door, with Rachel, Finn and Mike following, leaving Mercedes and Blaine to stay behind with Burt. "Besides, someone needs to chaperone you two sex fiends," he called slyly over his shoulder.

Damn. Her peace offering lasted all of two seconds.

Sighing, she glanced at Finn, who simply shrugged and gave her that lopsided smile. She slipped her hand into his, ready to extract revenge on the one person who'd wreaked total havoc on their lives.

* * *

Quinn snuck a peek at Santana. She'd been sitting in the same position for the last 5 innings, her arms folded across her chest as she stared straight ahead. Every so often, Quinn could hear her mutter something about "_that Hobbit and her freakishly tall boyfriend_," but other than that, she'd sat silently.

"Are you ok?" Quinn asked for the umpteenth time.

Unlike the other times though, this time Santana actually turned and looked at her, waving a hand dismissively. "It's nothing. Just another girl jealous of me. You probably wouldn't know." She sighed dramatically. "I've got to stand up and stretch." She stood up, stretching her arms and sticking her chest out, confident that all the men around her were staring.

Her eyes narrowed as she looked back at the row of empty seats Finn and company had occupied. They hadn't come back after their little confrontation, which was fine with her. She needed time to think about how best to make Man-hands pay for what she'd said. She scowled just thinking of how she'd gotten the last word.

Santana Lopez _always_ had the last word.

Quinn stared up at her, thinking that whatever it was, it most definitely was _not_ nothing.

* * *

"Where's the fake boobs you promised?" Noah demanded, stopping Artie's wheelchair where he directed.

"Honestly, Noah, you really have a one track mind," Rachel commented, rolling her eyes as she, Mike and Finn stopped next to the wheelchair.

"Hey, Finn's the only one who's seen boobs today. So unless you want to whip yours out again, boobs are gonna be on my mind," Noah retorted, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

A sudden movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. He turned his head in that direction to see Quinn and that girl from the Gala, the one who wanted Vodka instead of Champagne, standing at their seats. Automatically, his eyes traveled down to the Latina's chest, something he hadn't gotten a chance to do at the Gala, since he was distracted by Quinn. He smirked.

His fake boobs had arrived.

"Hmm. I see what you mean, but those aren't bad, Berry. A little obvious, but she must've went to a quality surgeon," Noah said thoughtfully as he stared at Santana.

"I _knew_ it. I knew you'd be able to spot them!" Rachel cried gleefully as she followed Noah's gaze to see Santana standing there.

"How can you tell?" Artie demanded, his voice dripping with curiosity. "We've worked with her for years and we never knew."

"Noah considers himself a boob doctor," Rachel explained.

"Berry, how many times do I have to fucking tell you? The correct phrase is Boobologist, not boob doctor," Noah said, studying Santana's chest extensively. "And I don't consider myself one. I _am_ a Boobologist."

"Ok, Boobologist. How can you tell those are fake?" Artie asked again, wanting to store this information for future use.

"Listen and learn, Young Jedi. First of all there's two types of girls who get implants, the Crude and the Prude. The Crude _wants_ everyone to know that she's had the work done, while the Prude doesn't. What we have here is the very rare third category, the Crude who's in denial. She has no problem showing off her new boobs, but doesn't want people to know that they're fake and will go to great lengths to make people think they're real." He paused for effect, noticing that Artie was hanging onto his every word. "What she doesn't realize is that a Boobologist can always spot the signs," he boasted. "Shut it, Berry," he added as he saw Rachel opening up her mouth to comment.

"So what are the signs?" Artie asked anxiously, wishing he had a notepad or something.

"Well first of all, they're too high, but the easiest way to tell is when she moves. If they're fake, they won't move when she does. Watch." He pushed Rachel lightly, just enough to cause her to stumble into Finn.

"Noah!" she cried as Finn caught her.

"See, Artie? I know Berry's aren't the greatest to demonstrate with, but did you see how her boobs shook when she stumbled? I wish Mercedes was here, you'd really see what I meant with the rack she has."

"Wow," Artie breathed, clearly impressed.

"I know. If I could get Berry to bend over or stretch, you'd see how hers would make cones or flatten depending on what she was doing. Fake knockers don't do that," Noah added, getting a dirty look from Rachel.

"As educational as this is, we have a revenge to get on with, Noah," Rachel cut in, still annoyed at being pushed as well as at the insult to her chest. "Let's get a little closer. I hope she's still standing up when it comes on."

Artie looked down at his phone, reading the text he'd just received. "You're in luck Rachel. It's coming up next."

They walked slightly closer, ready to watch what was sure to be an epic revenge play out on the Jumbo-Tron.

* * *

Santana continued stretching, her eyes closed, confident that men were staring. She made a point of stretching her arms behind her, pushing her breasts forward. She expected to hear cat calls like she normally did when she did this, but instead, she heard laughter.

Obviously, they weren't laughing at her. And if they weren't laughing at her, that meant that something was taking their attention away from her. Annoyed, she opened her eyes and stopped stretching to see what was stealing her thunder.

She looked around, noticing that everyone seemed to be staring at the Jumbo-Tron. Her eyes flickered down to Quinn, who had a strange expression on her face, her mouth hanging open, as she too stared at the screen.

Curious, Santana turned and looked at the screen, just in time to see herself come on the screen. She smirked, sticking out her chest and waving at the camera. She _knew _they weren't laughing at her. She could feel Quinn pulling on her shirt, but ignored it.

God, she looked fabulous on that massive screen. She stared at the screen unable to take her eyes off herself. She smoothed her hair, still ignoring Quinn's persistent pulls on her shirt.

"_What?"_ she hissed, finally looking down at the Blonde. Quinn said nothing, choosing to point back at the screen.

"I know; I looked incredible. I bet I could fuck the whole New York Mets tea-" she began as she turned back to the screen. The sentence died on her tongue as she realized what she was looking at.

It was still her on the screen, but instead of live video of her sexy self waving, it was a still picture of her.

From _High School_.

She stared in horror as she realized just what she was looking at. A sixteen year old, much heavier Santana was smiling happily at the camera, her face covered in zits and ketchup on her chin as she held a McDonald's Big Mac in each hand, a third Big Mac on the table in front of her. The sight of the picture made her want to puke right then and there. She was _not _that girl anymore, the one who almost tipped the scale at two hundred fifty pounds.

She realized with a sickening thud where that picture must have come from. Somehow, Finn must have gotten a hold of it and had the Mets post it. She relaxed slightly as the picture faded off the screen, still hearing the laughing coming from her coworkers around her.

If that was the best Finn could do, then bring it. She could easily do damage control from this and be back on top tomorrow.

She turned back to Quinn, ready to start her damage control when she heard _it._

"_The New York Mets welcome Santana Lopez. If you're looking for someone to advertise your products, Santana is it. Just look at how she advertises herself. She can take you from this..." _Horrified, Santana turned back to the screen, just in time to see yet another picture of her from High School. This time it was one of her in a particularly hideous outfit that showed just how heavy she was. "…_to this_…" The screen cut to a picture of her noticeably thinner, but clearly lacking the impressive chest she was sporting now. "…_Santana will stop at nothing to make you look good_," The next picture to pop up was a picture of Santana in her bra, holding an empty box of tissues, the entire contents of which were shoved into her bra and were sticking out in all directions.

The last picture was a split shot of Santana. The picture on the left showed a flat chested Santana standing in profile, the words "Plastic Surgery Center of Manhattan" clearly written on the wall behind her. The picture on the right showed her in the same position with a now full, robust chest. Under the two pictures was a caption reading, "_For __Santana Lopez, bigger is better and she'll will take you from A to D, no matter the cost." _

Santana was fuming. She could hear the laughter all around her without even looking. Her eyes flashing, she looked down at Quinn, expecting her to be just as furious.

Quinn was furious alright, but not for the same reason as Santana. "So it's true?" she cried, angry that Santana had lied to her all these years. "How many times have you belittled my chest when we've gone shopping? _'It must be so hard to find clothes that fit when you can't fill in the top. I wouldn't know of course.'" _she mocked scathingly. "I can't believe you. You're a fraud." Giving Santana one final glare, she got up and stomped off.

Santana watched her go, her eyes falling on Sam and his girlfriend, both of whom were laughing hysterically. "What are you laughing at?" she hissed. "Your lips look like you've had one too many injections of Collagen."

"Well, you would know, being the plastic surgery expert," Sam replied, putting his arm around his girlfriend, as they both started laughing again.

"Arrrrgh!" was the only thing Santana could think to say as she grabbed her hair in frustration. She opened her mouth, ready to unleash a string of expletives on Sam. Before any words could escape her mouth, that Bitch from Design, the one who Santana had thought was laughing at her earlier, caught her attention.

"Hey Lopez! The preview pictures that went around at work today were great, but this was _so_ much better!" she called over gleefully, earning laughter and murmurs of agreement from everyone in the vicinity.

_Preview Pictures? _Was _that_ what everyone was laughing at today? She'd been walking around the office all day assuming her idiot coworkers were laughing at some stupid email forward, but they were really laughing at _her. _Her instincts had been spot on all day, she _knew_ something was off. _That_ was why people were daring to talk to her.

The balance of power had shifted. She closed her eyes as a wave of nausea hit her. She needed to get out of here.

Storming up the aisle amid the laughter of her co-workers, she stopped short when she saw the current Bane of her Existence standing at the top of the aisle, looking very pleased with himself; a wide smirk plastered across his face. She stalked over to Finn and grabbed his shirt. "Where in the _hell_ did you get those pictures?"

"I have no idea what she's talking about, do you Artie?" Finn asked, removing his shirt from her grasp.

"None at all," Artie responded cheerfully. "What about you Mike?"

"Nope. No idea," Mike added.

"Listen here, Man-Boobs. I know you got those pictures from somewhere. I. Want. To. Know. Where." Santana emphasized each word with a poke in Finn's chest.

Finn couldn't help playing with her mind a little more, "I heard some guy named Vlad had these pictures and knew you were going to be here. You screw with his life too?" He looked at Santana, who he could tell was mentally going through her contacts trying to figure out who Vlad was and when she could kick his ass.

He couldn't help but grin as he heard Artie and Mike snort behind him, giving him the incentive to go on.

"You know, given what I just saw in those pictures, all those times you've commented on my supposed man-boobs now make sense. Guess you were jealous of them cause they're real, huh?" Finn quipped as he casually leaned against Artie's wheelchair.

"WHERE DID YOU GET THOSE PICTURES?" Santana shrieked like a Banshee, lunging for Finn and attempting to pummel her fists into Finn's chest. Unfortunately for her, a nearby Security Guards saw what was going on.

"Is there a problem?" he asked as he stepped in between Santana and Finn, forcing Santana to temporarily back off.

"Get out of my way Rent-a-Cop; I need to kick his ass!" Santana yelled as she tried to get around him to continue her assault on Finn.

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that. Fighting of any kind is against the rules here at Citi Field. You hit him or his friends again, and I'm required to remove you from the premises or bring you down to the holding cell," the Security Guard calmly explained as he gestured for another guard to come over.

"Oh, please. We all know you're not a real police officer. Now get out of my way, before I kick your ass too," Santana threatened, poking a finger into his chest as she tried to push him to the side to get back to Finn.

She didn't see the other guard come up behind her until it was too late. The new guard forcibly restrained her, grabbing her from behind. This didn't faze Santana, who simply switched to kicking her legs, attempting to aim for either Finn's groin or the guard's while unleashing expletives at the top of her lungs.

She didn't get either of them, but she did manage to get a kick in at Artie's wheelchair, sending him backwards until Mike caught him.

That did it for the Security Officer, who simply took out his handcuffs and placed them on Santana as she tried to break free from the guard still holding her in her haste to get at Finn. "I'm afraid you're going to have to come with us."

"Do you know who I _am_?" Santana demanded, furious at this injustice.

"Yeah, you're the girl who was just on the screen, the one with the boob job," the Guard replied, starting to lead her away.

Finn watched her go for a moment before calling out to her. "Oh, Santana?"

Santana paused, as did the Guards leading her. "_What_?" she managed to spit out.

"Let's just say, the amount of women you have managed to piss off is incredible. They're everywhere and are _very_ willing to help bring you down." Finn stated; a smirk still firmly on his face. "Here comes one now."

He glanced down, a smile replacing his smirk, as Rachel came to stand next to him, slipping an arm around his waist as she glared at Santana.

Santana could do nothing but glare at them as she was led away, screaming expletives in Spanish at people nearby who commented about her pictures.

"See you, Boobs McGee!" Finn called cheerfully after her as he gave her a pity wave. He turned to look down at Rachel.

"How do you feel?" she asked, rubbing her hand in soothing circles on his back.

"_Amazing_. I told that Bitch the night of the Gala that I would make her pay for messing with your head those 10 days. She can make fun of me all she wants, but I refuse to let her say anything about you or do anything to you. She chose not to believe me, and as Burt always says, 'Payback is a dish best served cold; or in this case in front of 45,000 people." Laughing, Finn placed a chaste kiss on Rachel's lips as she pulled his face down to meet hers.

"Thank you," she murmured against his lips. She moved her lips to his ear, whispering seductively, "Remind me to show you how _thankful_ I am later."

Finn grinned at the thought. "Me protecting you turns you on, huh?"

Rachel smiled up at him as she wrapped her arms around his waist, letting her hands slide into his back pockets. She discreetly gave his butt a squeeze as she said, "I can't lie; Finny. It was pretty hot."

Finn smirked as he pulled her closer, letting the fragrance of her fruity shampoo invade his nostrils. They stayed like that for a moment, lost in each other's presence.

"Hand check, Berry! " Noah called as he walked past breaking the moment.

For the second time that night, Finn found himself holding onto Rachel's jersey, pulling her back as she tried to slap Noah for all his comments.

* * *

Once the excitement of the Seventh Inning had passed, the rest of the game was relatively calm. Finn and Rachel had headed back to the suite along with everyone else, lost in their own little world.

Noah, distracted by the fact that he'd run into Quinn and gotten her number while the whole Santana thing was happening, left them alone, which meant that they had ample opportunity to sneak many kisses and even a few gropes in as they sat and watched the game.

"Finny?" Rachel asked as she sat on his lap, resting her head on his shoulder as her fingers softly stroked his stomach.

"Yeah, baby?"

"If you didn't come here tonight, do you think we'd still have gotten back together?"

Finn cuddled her closer before answering. "I know we would have. I actually called you yesterday, but it went to voicemail and I didn't leave a message."

"You did?" Rachel picked her head up to look at him, mentally cursing herself for turning her phone off. "My phone has been off while I've been writing."

"I was going to force Kurt to call from his phone. I assumed that you didn't want to speak to me," Finn confessed.

"Never, Finn. Even at my angriest, all I really wanted was for you to be there holding me," Rachel replied, leaning in to lightly press her lips against his repeatedly. They were so absorbed in each other that they failed to notice that not only had the game ended, but that the Mets had lost.

Fortunately, they had Noah to bring them back to reality.

"Are you two seriously sucking face when the Mets just fucking _lost?"_

"They lost?" Rachel asked stupidly, looking down at the other team celebrating on the field.

"What are you, a fucking parrot? I just said that. Let's get out of here. I can't stand to see the other team celebrating." Exasperated, Noah crossed his arms, ready to get the hell out of there.

"Yeah, about that…" Burt began, looking around the group. "Carole wants me to tell you that she expects every single one of you back at Finn's apartment ASAP."

"Really? Mom said that? Why?" Finn asked, noticing a worried look pass over Rachel's face. He let it go for the moment, assuming that whatever was bothering Rachel would be something she'd want to tell him in private, plus his curiosity about what his mom was up to was getting the better of him.

"No idea," Burt said unconvincingly, shrugging for effect as Finn stared at him suspiciously. A glance around the group told Finn that everyone else - with the exception of Rachel - knew what was going on. "Come on, we'll have to wait for the train."

"No need Burt, the girls came in the limo. We can take that. I'm not waiting for a fucking train," Noah declared, shuddering at the thought of waiting forever for the number 7 train.

"Lead the way Puck," Burt said happily, grabbing hold of Artie's wheelchair. He followed Noah towards the door. Finn watched them walk towards the door before turning to Rachel.

"Ready to go? Or do you want to tell me what's bothering you first?" he asked Rachel, who hadn't moved from her position on his lap, her head still resting on Finn's shoulder.

"Why does your mom want to see me? She probably wants to kill me," Rachel said quietly, playing with the buttons of his jersey.

"Baby, I can guarantee you that my mom does not hate you. She's the one who kept insisting I read your article. Well, her and Kurt, although it was Burt who actually got me to read it. I'm sure by now she's gotten wind of the fact that we're back together and is just waiting for us to come back so she can hug you to death." He started rubbing his hand up and down her arm soothingly.

"I don't know," Rachel said worriedly, still thinking that Carole hated her. "She made me promise not to break your heart, and I did just that."

"Rachel, if we go back there and my mom hates you, I'll let you pick out an even more embarrassing nickname than _Finny-Bear_ and let you call me it in front of Mike, Artie _and_ Sue Sylvester," Finn promised, shuddering at the thought of Sue Sylvester knowing that Rachel called him Finny-Bear.

"_Really_? So I could call you something like Finnykins in front of Sue Sylvester and you wouldn't be mad?" Rachel stipulated, opening her eyes wide for the full effect.

"I'm not too worried, since it's not going to happen because my mom doesn't hate you," Finn replied, pushing a lock of hair off her face.

"How about I call you my Sexy Studmuffin in front of Sue?" Rachel teased.

"That's not embarrassing, that's just true," Finn deadpanned, earning a playful smack from Rachel. "Now are you coming or not?"

"Well, I do want to see Vlad," Rachel said thoughtfully, climbing off his lap.

"Can't see Vlad without seeing my mom, since he and my mom are now best friends," Finn said as he stood up and took her hand.

"Fine, I'll go. But just so you know, I'm going to find a new nickname for you anyway, although I can't promise I won't call you it in front of anyone, Finny-Bear," Rachel said slyly as she allowed Finn to lead her towards the door. "I hope Vlad remembers me," she added worriedly.

"Of course Vlad will remember Mommy. But I should warn you that Kurt got a hold of him. Vlad now wears more jewels than the Queen of England. He looks like one of those rappers who wear all those blinged out necklaces."

"Why am I not surprised?" Rachel giggled. "Between you, me and Vlad, Kurt has his fashionable hands full."

Laughing, they walked out hand in hand towards out of the stadium, heading towards the limo.

* * *

"Carole? We're back!" Burt called as he walked into Finn's apartment, followed by Mercedes, Artie, Mike, Blaine and Noah.

Carole came rushing into the hall followed by Tina and Kurt, who both ran to their respective partners. She greeted everyone with a quick hello, pausing when she got to Mercedes and Puck.

Burt, jumped in, noticing Carole's confusion. "These are Rachel's friends, Mercedes and Puck."

Carole greeted each of them, her eyes lighting up when she realized who Puck was. "Stay right here. I have something for you."

"Uh, ok," Puck answered, slightly confused as Carole took off in the direction of the kitchen. She came back a minute later holding a wrapped paper plate.

"These are for you," she said, thrusting the plate of cookies into his hands. "I heard what you did for Finny, how you got Rachel there and found Finn and brought him to Rachel. I'm so happy that you locked him in that room with her until they made up." She pulled Puck into a hug, practically crushing his plate of cookies. "I'm so glad they talked out their problems."

"Oh, they talked it out alright. I could hear Berry screaming from outside," Puck replied, unable to resist getting in another jab at Rachel, which earned snorts of laughter from Burt, Mike, Artie, Blaine and Mercedes. "Seriously though, I couldn't take another day of weepy depressed Berry."

Carole nodded; slightly confused as to what Puck had said that was so funny. She picked up Vlad, who'd followed her into the hall, looking around for the one person she wanted to see. "Where _is_ Rachel?"

"She's still in the lobby. Finn's trying to convince her that you don't hate her," Burt explained as hung up his coat.

"What? She thinks I hate her?" Carole asked, amused.

"Yeah, Finn said she was worrying about it during the game, but he managed to convince her to come. She was quiet in the limo, but seemed ok until she got out. Then she started panicking in the lobby, saying she needed more time to prepare for the meeting," Blaine explained, as he greeted Carole with a kiss on the cheek and rubbed Vlad's head before heading into the living room.

"Wait, what limo?" Kurt asked, his mind zeroing in on that detail as he followed him. "Did you meet a _celebrity_? Wearing _that?_"

The rest of the party filed into the living room, filling Carole, Kurt and Tina in on the Suite, the showdown between Santana and Rachel, even the choice words Burt had with Will.

Kurt had just started the Karaoke machine when Vlad jumped off of Carole's lap and headed toward the hall as soon as he heard the door open. "Mom?"

"In here, Finn!" Carole called out as she stood up. Kurt paused the karaoke machine, ready to watch the drama.

"Rachel!" Carole cried happily as she watched Rachel tentatively walk in to the living room gripping Finn's hand tightly and semi hiding behind him. Pushing her son out of the way, she grabbed Rachel into a big bear hug, holding her tightly. "I could never hate you Rachel. Look at how happy Finn is when he's with you. Thank you for making my son happy again," she whispered into Rachel's ear, her voice breaking.

Rachel felt her eyes going misty as she whispered back, "He makes me just as happy, Carole." She broke the embrace when she felt scratching on her leg. She looked down to find Vlad scratching and crying to be picked up. "Vladdie!"

She picked him up, giving him a big kiss on the head. "My Baby Dog! I missed you!" she squealed before she burst out laughing as she held him out in front of her to examine his new collar. "Look at you, Vlad! How fancy! I bet your Finny-Bear loves it!" she cooed, holding him close and cuddling him, letting him lick her face, as his tail thumped happily against her chest.

She looked around the apartment, noticing for the first time all the work Carole and Kurt had done. A large banner was strung across the window reading, "_Welcome back, Rachel_!" The coffee table had disappeared, but Kurt had brought out the poker table and covered it with a white tablecloth and flowers. The table was groaning under the weight of desserts that Carole had baked, the centerpiece of which was Finn's favorite chocolate lava cake. The kitchen counter was loaded down with alcohol, where Burt was currently making and handing out drinks. A karaoke machine was set up in the corner, ready to be played. Even Vlad's castle was decorated, with streamers hanging gaily from the turret and running along the roof.

She placed Vlad on the floor to hug Kurt, watching in amusement over Kurt's shoulder as Vlad ran over to his bear and started humping away. She realized too late that this would give Noah, who was hysterically laughing at Vlad and his bear, the perfect opening to say something crude in front of Carole.

Naturally, he didn't disappoint.

He tore his gaze away from Vlad, to look at Finn and Rachel mischievously. "He learn that from watching you two go at it?"

"_Noah_!" Rachel hissed, glancing at Carole, who hadn't seemed to have heard, or if she did, was choosing to ignore it. Unfortunately for her everyone else heard it and laughed. Judging by Kurt's and Tina's reactions, she'd say it was safe to say they'd been filled in on her and Finn's _activities_.

"Relax Berry, don't get your panties in a bunch. Carole didn't hear me. If I really wanted to embarrass you in front of Carole, I'd do this." He stood up and walked over to the Karaoke machine.

"Is this thing on?" he asked tapping the microphone only to find out that it was. "Good. Now, not everyone knows that Berry, Aretha and I go way back, but we do. And thanks to Aretha over there and her love of all things Karaoke, we have a Karaoke history. Out of all the performances I've witnessed from Berry and Aretha - and there were many - two stick out in my mind." He smirked, as he saw Rachel and Mercedes wearing identical looks of horror.

"_Noah_," Rachel said warningly, making Finn and everyone else look at her.

Noah waved her off, continuing his story as Rachel buried her head in her hands. "Aretha and I talked Berry into having a party at my uncle's jewelry store after hours. Berry thought we'd simply be having a glass of wine to celebrate their college graduations, but that's not the way I roll. Aretha provided the karaoke, and I provided the booze. Berry resisted at first, all '_I'm an alumna of Columbia as of tomorrow, Noah'_ but once we got the stick out of her ass and funneled the alcohol into her, she provided one of the most classic performances I've ever seen, as did Aretha. I must say, Berry out drank me that night, and I've never been prouder of her than the moment I saw her puke in a potted plant on stage at her graduation the next day."

"_Noah!"_ Rachel screeched, her eyes begging him not to go on and humiliate her in front of Carole.

Of course he did.

"Now you might be asking yourself, what was so special about Berry's performance? The answer is easy and fortunately for all of you, I have it right here." He turned the TV on and Rachel and Mercedes were horrified to see that Noah had connected his video camera to the TV and cued the video to the right spot. "I brought it to the game just in case you two didn't show. Now, who wants to see Berry's performance as Ms. Britney Spears and incidentally her granny panties?"

Rachel looked around to see that everyone had raised their hands, including Finn. "Finn!" she cried, staring at him in disbelief, smacking his shoulder.

"What? I want to see your granny panties," Finn said in a teasing voice. This was met by bursts of laughter from everyone in the room. Finn laughed as he rubbed her back, her head once again buried in her hands.

"Fine, Noah. Go ahead and show it. You've already humiliated me in front of Burt and Blaine; you don't want to miss the chance to do it in front of Carole and Kurt."

"Damn straight, Berry. I can't help it if you make it so easy." He turned to the rest of the crowd. "And now, without further ado, I give you Berry in all her drunken glory."

Rachel listened to her performance, knowing instinctively when she fell on camera from the burst of laughter that resounded all around her. She was thankful when Mercedes' turn came, happy that someone else was feeling the humiliation she felt.

"So, given that this is a celebration, I think Berry should kick this party off and perform her stunning rendition of Ms. Britney Spears' _Baby, One More Time,_ live,to be followed by Aretha singing _Baby got Back." _Seeing Rachel hesitate, Noah quickly started a chant of "Ber-ry! Ber-ry! Ber-ry!" chanting until everyone joined in.

Rachel got up, determined to get this over with. Once she started singing though, she got into it. She'd forgotten how much she loved to sing, and as she danced around, she remembered how happy it made her to sing.

Yeah, she'd have to do this more often.

Her face flushed, she sat down next to Finn, who immediately gathered her in for a kiss. "Baby, that was awesome!"

"Don't think you're getting off so easy, Finn," she said mischievously. She waited until Mercedes had finished her performance before she stood up again, walking towards the karaoke cds, shuffling through them until she found what she wanted and placed it in the machine. She turned back to the room, that mischievous smile still on her face, making Finn slightly nervous.

"While my performance on that video was admittedly hysterical, I think it's time we had a performance from our Karaoke King, Finn Hudson, current reigning champion of Karaoke Heaven over on West 35th Street."

Kurt burst out laughing. "_You_ won a Karaoke contest? Let me guess, you sang Classic Rock, right?"

Finn shifted uncomfortably as Rachel innocently answered. "Oh no, Kurt. Finny sang the _best_ songs. You want to see?"

"Yes!" Kurt, Mike, Blaine, Artie and even Burt answered simultaneously.

Smiling, Rachel pressed play as she threw the microphone to him. He groaned as he stood up, hearing the opening notes to "_It's Raining Men_" come on, mixed with Kurt's laughter. He managed to get a good hit to the side of Kurt's head as he walked past; ignoring his mother's reproving look.

Rachel smirked as she watched him sing, letting Vlad jump up to sit on her lap, his eyes closing as she stroked his head. Finn came back to join her a few minutes later, leaning over to whisper in her ear. "You are so dead later."

Rachel simply looked at him and winked. "Bring it."

Mercedes and Kurt performed frequently, as did Blaine, Artie and Tina. Puck's rendition of "_Sweet Caroline" _and _"Fat Bottomed Girls"_ brought down the house, and he even performed his Milli Vanilli routine once Mercedes tricked him into it. Even Burt and Carole got up to perform, singing _"I Got You Babe." _Rachel managed to get Finn up there to sing "_Faithfully_" with her, idly thinking as they sang it that it could possibly be their wedding song. She'd have to discuss possible song choices with Mercedes.

She smiled, loving the fact that there wasn't even a shred of doubt that she and Finn would be picking out a wedding song one day.

* * *

"Call me tomorrow, Rachel. We need to go for mani/pedis. Mercedes and Tina are already in," Kurt directed as he hugged Rachel good bye.

Kurt, only too happy not to have to spend another night at Finn's, practically dragged Blaine out the door. Tina, feeling the effects of the alcohol, did the same to Mike. Noah, Artie and Mercedes all hopped back into the limo, heading towards their respective apartments, while Burt and Carole had long since retired to Finn's spare room/office. They'd been planning to go to Kurt's, but at Rachel's insistence, had agreed to stay at Finn's one more night.

Burt had been unable to resist getting in one more dig at Finn, reminding the group to keep all the screaming down, pointedly looking at Finn and Rachel, who immediately turned red and hid behind a couch pillow amid the laughter.

Rachel watched her friends go out the door, turning to wrap her arms around Finn as the door shut, only to have Finn pick her up and pin her against the door, kissing her as if they'd been separated for a long time. "_Finally_. I have you alone," he murmured against her throat.

"We were just alone a few hours ago, Finn," Rachel breathed out, feeling Finn's teeth nipping at her collarbone and knowing he was marking her. She wrapped her legs around his waist securely as her hands ran wild under his shirt, feeling as much bare skin as she could reach.

"That's way too long to go without being able to touch you wherever I want to, baby," he said in a husky voice as he let his lips graze her jawbone on their way to that soft spot behind her ear that he knew drove her wild. He gripped her butt firmly. "Ready?"

"Mmm-hmm." She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, peppering his face with kisses as he carried her down the hall towards the bedroom.

She released her hold on him as he deposited her on the bed. A moan escaped her mouth as he pushed her onto her back, crashing his lips onto hers while his hands snaked under her tank top to caress her breasts. When his mouth moved to attach itself to her neck, she turned her head to the side, only to come face to face with a pair of bug eyes watching her.

"Finn?" she asked, forcing herself to concentrate on the bug eyes staring at her and not on how amazing his mouth felt. "Finn!"

"Yeah, babe?" he replied against her neck, his hands trying to unbutton her pants at the same time.

She stilled his hand, which finally made him look up. "What's the matter?"

"Vlad." Rachel turned his head, making him notice the Chihuahua lounging next to Rachel, his newspaper between his paws as he stared at his owners.

"What about him? He always sleeps in here." He tried to reattach his lips to Rachel's neck, but she turned her head, making it impossible.

"He's _watching._"

"So?" Finn asked, propping himself on his elbow.

"He's a _baby_. He shouldn't be seeing these things," Rachel explained, running a hand through his hair.

"Rachel, based on what I've seen him do to that bear, I'd say he knows how it works," Finn replied, amusement lacing his words.

"I don't care. I'm not doing this in front of him," Rachel insisted stubbornly, beginning to sit up.

"What do you want me to do about it?" Finn groaned, throwing himself back on the bed.

"Talk to him and explain why he needs to leave the room." She gave Finn her best wide eyed look, shifting over him so that he had a nice view down her shirt.

"Are you serious? He does it in front of us all the time," Finn replied, trying to ignore both the cleavage and the look she was giving him and failing miserably.

"Just because he's an exhibitionist, doesn't mean we have to be, Finn. Now go," Rachel directed.

Finn sighed, getting up and grabbing Vlad. "Come on, Dude. You're being sexiled."

He walked over to the door, placing Vlad gently on the ground outside the door and quickly shutting it. He tried to ignore the cries coming from the other side of the door as he turned around, ready to resume his previous activities.

Vlad's cries were quickly forgotten as his eyes dilated at the sight of Rachel spread out seductively on his bed, waiting for him. He walked over to her, shedding his clothes as he went.

"Better?" he asked as he climbed over her.

"Much better." She leaned up to kiss him softly.

"We still have two problems though," Finn commented, running his hand under her shirt, caressing her stomach.

"What's that?"

"Well, Ms. Berry," Finn teased, unbuttoning her pants as he sucked her bottom lip, eliciting a moan from Rachel. "It seems wrong that I'm in my boxers and you're still dressed."

"Hmm. That _is_ a problem. We'll need to rectify that immediately," Rachel said, lifting her hips so he could get her pants off before starting on her tank top. "What's the other problem?"

"The other problem," he began as he helped her pull the tank top over her head and placed a hot open mouthed kiss on her neck, "is that at your insistence, my mom and Burt are right next door. You have a tendency to be loud and according to Puck, I can get some 'fucking impressive screams' out of you, a fact I can assure you I'm very proud of."

He started kissing his way down her chest and along her bra line, pausing when he reached the valley between her breasts to look up at her. She instinctively arched her back, allowing him to reach around and unclasp her bra. "Any other night, I'm all for that, but not with my mom in the other room. You heard Burt." He kissed down her shoulders, pushing her bra straps off her shoulders before discarding the garment completely. "Promise me you'll be quiet?"

"Anything you want, baby," Rachel moaned as his mouth made contact with her breast, reaching for the waistband of his boxers. "Just no more talking."

Finn lifted his head back up to place his mouth on hers, letting his tongue show his agreement before getting down to business.

They did have two days to make up for after all.

* * *

Rachel lay in bed, Finn's arms wrapped securely around her as he snored behind her. She stroked his arm as she thought back over the past two weeks, marveling at how so much had changed in so short of a time. She'd gone from being stuck at a job she only tolerated and living a dead end life, to making her dream of being a novelist a reality and being loved by someone other than her fathers.

It was amazing how one stupid decision by Emma led her here. How it had led her to Finn. She'd never know what made Emma choose her for the article that day, but she felt destiny had a hand in it. Her broken road was always meant to lead to him, just as his was always meant to lead to her. From this point on, their roads were combined to make one straight path that they'd travel on together.

And she'd known it from the beginning, deep in her heart. Her heart had known it from the moment at McKinley's when she started watching him, wanting to run her fingers through his hair. It became a little more obvious each day and now it left her wondering how she'd ever lived her life not knowing that Finn existed in the world. She smiled as she thought of Finn's words.

_You're it for me babe. I'm Team Rachel._

The thought of him being Team Rachel brought tears to eyes. She snuggled a little closer into him, causing him to wake up.

"You okay baby?" he asked sleepily.

"Perfect, Finn," she replied, turning her head to give him a gentle kiss, before turning back to put her head on her pillow.

"Rachel?" he said softly from behind her.

"Yeah, Finny?" She started to turn her head to look at him, surprised when he stopped her from doing so. Her eyes grew wide as he started singing softly in her ear.

"_Now you're here/And everything's changing/Suddenly life means so much/I can't wait to wake up tomorrow and find out this promise is true/I will never have to go back to/The day before you."_

Rachel turned to look him, tears in her eyes again. He pushed a lock of hair out of her eyes as he told her, "Just so you know, I'm not going back."

She grabbed his face in a gentle kiss, looking deep into his eyes. "Just so _you_ know; I'm not going back to the day before you either."

They fell asleep wrapped in each other's arms, each dreaming of the milestones in their future, knowing that they'd be side by side for every momentous event life had planned for them.


	25. The Road to a Lifetime

_**Disclaimer: Glee is not mine**_

* * *

_**I don't know how you do what you do  
I'm so in love with you  
It just keeps getting better  
I want to spend the rest of my life  
With you by my side  
Forever and ever  
Every little thing that you do  
Baby, I'm amazed by you**_

_**-Lonestar, "Amazed"**_

* * *

**_One year later…_**

Rachel smoothed the front of her dress nervously, checking her appearance in the mirror for the thousandth time. This was it. There was no going back now.

"Rachel? We just wanted to come in and see how you're doing. Are you nervous?" Mercedes asked, sneaking into the room with Tina behind her.

"You look so gorgeous," Tina said, admiring her dress.

"Is everyone out there? Where's Finn? He's here, right?" Rachel babbled nervously, feeling like she was going to throw up.

"Finn's here, he's waiting for you to come out," Tina assured her.

Give us a hug," Mercedes demanded. All three girls gathered together in a hug just as a knock sounded on the door.

_"Five minutes!"_

"Alright, girl, we're gonna get out there. Good Luck!" Tina squealed, giving Rachel one last hug before she and Mercedes slipped out the door.

A knock sounded on the door again. "Are you ready, Rachel?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," Rachel replied, following the stagehand out the door and towards the stage.

* * *

"Welcome back! It's time for the segment we like to call _Local Literaries. _This week, we're going introduce a new local author, one who's creating quite a buzz. Her first book, _How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days_, is about to hit the shelves and is quickly becoming the talk of the literary world. Everyone please welcome Rachel Berry!"

Taking her cue from the stage manager, Rachel walked onto the _Coffee Break with Tom and Liza _set, a dazzling smile on her face, hoping she didn't look too nervous. Her eyes scanned the crowd immediately, searching out Finn. She spotted him in the front row, Carole and Burt on one side, and her fathers on the other. Kurt, Mercedes and Tina were just behind them.

She made eye contact with Finn as she shook Tom's and Liza's hands and took her seat, the support emanating from his eyes instantly calming her.

"So Rachel, tell us, how did the idea for this book come about? I understand it's based on real life?" Liza started, looking at Rachel expectantly.

Rachel exhaled before beginning. "Yes, it's based on how I met my boyfriend."

"_Really?_ For those who don't know, the characters in the book are both using each other for their jobs. Tell us the story!" Liza prompted, smiling at Rachel.

"Well I was working at _Maquillage _as the How to Girl, when I was randomly picked to do an article. I was supposed to torture a guy using all the classic things girls do to drive men away at the beginning of a relationship," Rachel recited, having told the story many times over the past year. Quickly, she told the rest of the story. "So there I was, depressed and alone. I'd locked myself in my room, refusing to see anyone, listening to Barbra Streisand's _Since I fell for you_ over and over as I reflected on my life."

"Love that song," Liza cut in.

Rachel smiled. "I do too. Anyway, I realized that I'd done more living in the past two weeks than I'd had in the last seven years, thanks to Finn. I'd had one horrible relationship before him, back in high school and that one experience had made me turn off of guys and life for years." Her eyes traveled over to where Finn was sitting, feeling his eyes boring into her. "The night we met, he'd asked me what was stopping me from writing a novel, and as I reflected, I realized that nothing was stopping me. I'd used excuse after excuse and after everything blew up in our faces, I felt like I owed it to him and to myself to write that novel. For two days, I let no one in my room; I ate nothing and barely slept. I wrote and rewrote the story of the 10 days."

"Did you really bring him to a Tupperware party?" Tom asked incredulously. "I would have dumped you right there."

Rachel laughed; the entire thing was funny in hindsight. "I did, among other things."

"Other things? Do we want to know?" Liza demanded. "Did you call him constantly or give him a nickname? I've done that," she admitted, giving a small chuckle.

"Let's see, I redecorated his apartment, making it super girly. I did give him a nickname, and frequently used it in front of his friends, I got him punched in the face by a woman-" Rachel replied, ticking them off on her fingers.

"_What_?" both Tom and Liza exclaimed.

"As Finn likes to say, that woman could easily have played in the NFL. I didn't realize how big she was until she stood up, but by then it was too late," Rachel defended, still smiling.

"Now I understand that you two got back together? Are you still dating?" Tom asked curiously as the crowd gave a chorus of "_aww_" when the screen turned on behind them.

Rachel's smile grew wider as a picture of her, Finn and Vlad came onto the screen. She particularly liked this picture; it had been taken this past 4th of July, at Burt and Carole's. They'd been at the beach all day, and it was one of those unplanned, unposed pictures. Finn had simply pulled Rachel and Vlad onto his lap when they'd returned to his parent's house, feeling the need to capture the moment. They were both in their bathing suits, their skins covered in a combination of sun block and salt water. Rachel had held Vlad up and snuggled in close to Finn as he'd held out an arm and took the picture. Vlad had actually cooperated, so all three were looking at the camera. The downward angle of the picture created a feeling of intimacy among the three, since their heads were close together and it was mostly from the shoulders up. Carole loved the picture also; it was displayed on top of her piano.

"Yes, some friends and family got sick and tired of us being weepy and depressed. I'd locked myself in my room, refusing to see anyone or do anything but write, and from what I heard, Finn had alternated between trashing his apartment and refusing to talk to anyone but our Chihuahua. They hatched a plan which involved getting us in the same room and not letting us out until we made up."

Both hosts laughed at Rachel's explanation while the picture switched to one of the two of them on the cruise they'd gone on with Kurt, Blaine, Mike, Tina, Artie, Mercedes, Noah, and to Rachel's annoyance, Quinn. This time, they were dressed formally, posed in front of the staircase by the ship's photographer.

"Oh, isn't that lovely? And you're still together?" Liza asked, as the crowd gave an awww again.

"Yes, for a year now." She smiled in Finn's direction.

"Wait, is he here?" Liza asked as she followed Rachel's gaze.

"He's sitting over there," Rachel said proudly as the camera turned on Finn, showing him on the screen while the crowd began cheering. A stagehand immediately walked over and handed Finn a microphone.

"So Finn, tell us. You must be so proud of Rachel," Liza commented, smiling.

"I am. I always knew she could do it." Finn's eyes maintained contact with Rachel, not even noticing the hosts of the show.

"Was there ever any moment during the 10 days that you were like _I've had enough, I'm done?"_ Tom asked curiously.

"Well, I wasn't thrilled about being at a Tupperware party, having to miss poker to get her tampons and getting punched in the face by a woman definitely sucked, but when Rachel was acting like her normal awesome self, I'd forget about those things because I just wanted to be with her." He smiled in Rachel's direction, knowing from the way she was biting her lip and looking down that her eyes were tearing.

"Alright we're running out of time. I'd like to thank Rachel Berry for being here. Her book _How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days _comes out next Friday; don't forget to pick up a copy! Up next Chef Bart shows us what to do with those pesky leftovers!"

Rachel continued smiling until the camera light went off, unsure of what to do. An assistant came over and unclipped her microphone telling her she could go relax in the Green Room until the show was over.

She followed the assistant back to the Green Room, making a beeline for the food spread out on the table. Finn had made her breakfast this morning, but she'd been way too nervous to eat anything, resulting in him eating both his own meal and hers.

She'd just managed to fill a bowl with fruit, when a bouquet of flowers appeared around her shoulder. She smiled, recognizing the large hand that held the bouquet. She placed the bowl of fruit on the table, feeling a hand slip around and come to rest on her stomach.

"You were wonderful out there," Finn whispered into her ear as she took the flowers.

"You didn't have to get me flowers," Rachel said as she turned around in his arms, hugging him tightly.

"I didn't. The flowers are from Vlad. _I_ got you this." Finn pulled a small box out of his pocket, handing it to Rachel. She pulled herself away from him, opening the Tiffany blue jewelry box to see a pair of solitaire diamond earrings set in platinum.

"Finn!" she gasped. "These are gorgeous!" She shifted the box, admiring the way the light made the earrings sparkle.

"And Kurt approved," Finn added, smiling at how excited she was. She'd already yanked her own earrings out of her ears and was now putting in her new ones.

She pulled his face down to hers, kissing his lips repeatedly. "Thank you. I love you _so_ much," she kept repeating between kisses.

"I love you too." He pulled away from her to look into her eyes. "Ready to go? The show's just about over, and my mom and your dads are dying to see you. Everyone's waiting outside."

Rachel slipped her hand into his, allowing him to lead her out of the studio, where her friends and family were waiting.

"Princess! You were fantastic!" Leroy cried, sweeping her into a hug. Next to him, her other father Hiram was dabbing at his eyes with a tissue, a bouquet of flowers in his hand.

"Rachel, you were amazing," Hiram blubbered, thrusting the bouquet into her hand as he joined in the hug.

"Thanks Dad, Daddy," Rachel said as she hugged them for a moment before pulling away.

Carole came next, hugging Rachel tightly. "Rachel, I'm so proud. I can't wait to read it."

The rest of them all gathered around to hug Rachel. Kurt, of course, noticed her new earrings right away. "Aren't they _fabulous_?" he squealed. "I was very impressed that Finn managed to pick them out himself. Ordinarily, I require that I be present for all jewelry purchases made by either Dad or Finn, but this time I didn't even know he was going." He pulled Rachel closer, whispering in her ear, "You better let me know what kind of ring you like, so when the time comes, I'll be ready. There's _no way _he's doing that without me."

"I'm one step ahead of you. I have pictures," Rachel whispered back. She'd started saving pictures of engagement rings the week after she and Finn got back together.

"What are you two whispering about?" Finn asked; placing his hand on the small of Rachel's back.

"Nothing," Kurt and Rachel answered together.

"Right. Like I believe that." Finn smiled at the two of them, shaking his head. "Burt's got cabs, so let's go. We're going back to our apartment to hang out and have some lunch. Your dads are going to meet us there. They wanted to finalize everything at the restaurant for the celebration tonight." Finn watched in amusement, holding open the cab door, as Kurt and Rachel continued whispering and giggling and slid in.

* * *

"So Rachel, when do we get to read the book? Draw Two, Kurt," Carole called out excitedly, as Vlad jumped into her lap.

Rachel's fathers were hosting a dinner in Rachel's honor later, but until then, they'd all headed back to Finn and Rachel's apartment to relax and discuss the morning's events. Since the group had a while to kill before the dinner, Finn had broken out the Uno cards immediately after lunch. As the group sat around the apartment playing and taking turns getting ready, the conversation had once again turned to Rachel's new book.

Rachel emerged from the bedroom, dressed for the party and smiled at the sight of Vlad on Carole's lap. Whenever Vlad saw Grandma, he ignored everyone else, including Finn and Rachel. Not even Finn's stomach could tempt him away from Grandma. "I'm afraid you'll just have to wait Carole, till the publisher sends me copies. Hopefully it'll be this week. Is it my turn?" she asked, taking the empty seat next to Finn and picking up her cards.

"No, it's mine. And Mom, _I_ haven't even read it yet." Finn added, putting his arm around Rachel as she sat down next to him. She smiled at him, one hand caressing his knee, while the other hid her cards from his wandering eye. "Rachel won't let me even see a _page_ until the book is published." He shuffled through his cards, looking for a yellow or a four, finally finding a yellow Skip card. "Sorry, Ray, but even though you look amazing in that dress, I'm skipping you."

"Really? You haven't read it? Why not?" Carole asked, stroking Vlad softly and smiling at Rachel's put out expression at being skipped. Over the course of the year, Rachel had honed her Uno skills, and she was quickly making her way up the standings, currently third behind Finn and Blaine.

"I didn't want anyone to see it until it was completely done. Only Vlad knows what's written on those pages, and that's only because he was next to me while I was writing every day. Plus, he can't talk, so he never had anything bad to say about what I read to him," Rachel explained, laughing at the memory of her reading to Vlad.

She glanced down as her cell phone vibrated on the table, picking it up and reading a text. Her eyebrows shot up in excitement for a second, before resuming a normal expression as she quickly typed a reply.

"Everything ok, Princess?" Hiram asked, noticing Rachel's facial expressions.

"Fantastic Daddy," Rachel replied, reading the text again. Finn craned his neck trying to see the text, but Rachel closed it too quickly. She noticed him trying to read her text, and murmured, "Later, Finny."

"Hey Rachel, how accurate is this book? And more importantly, how big of a role does my character have?" Kurt demanded, placing a Reverse card down. "I insist on proper credit for helping Finn those two days. You have _no_ idea what I went through. I had a Chihuahua ready to kill me and I almost died from flying objects, not to mention the smell of an unshowered Finn."

Rachel laughed. "Don't worry, Kurt. You character gets all the credit he deserves in the story."

"Yeah," Finn added, deciding to rile Kurt up. "Rachel told me that your character's a buyer for Wal-Mart."

The room went quiet as all eyes turned to Kurt, who gasped and held one hand over his heart, while the other gripped Carole's arm tightly. "_Rachel_!" he hissed. "Tell. Me. That's. Not. True."

"No no. Kurt, it's not true," Rachel hastened to assure him. Kurt removed his hand from over his heart to glare at his brother, amid the laughter now permeating the room. "Finn's just being a jerk. He's upset because I made his character a bad kisser," she added innocently as the laughter grew louder.

"Wait, what?" Finn did a double take at Rachel's comment, only to see Rachel suppressing a laugh.

She reached over to caress the hurt expression off his face. "Relax baby. I'm just kidding. You know I don't think that's true."

As if to prove her point, she pulled his face towards hers, letting her lips meet his. He intended to resist her, planning to pout a little, but once he felt her soft pliant lips against his, his mouth took over and he began responding automatically, unable to help himself.

"Nope. _Definitely_ not true," she commented as she released his face. "And Draw Four Finn," she added smugly as she placed the card down.

Finn's cell phone started ringing before he could reply. He glanced at the screen surprised to see his office calling. Rachel leaned on his shoulder, peering at the screen. "Why is work calling you? They knew you weren't coming in today."

"Dunno," Finn said, shrugging as he answered the phone, the other occupants of the table pausing the game to wait for him. "Hello?"

"Mr. Hudson, sorry to bother you, but I have a bit of a situation here." Finn groaned at the sound of his new secretary's voice. Marc was young and perfectly capable, but he had an annoying habit of calling Finn and asking him about every little thing. He'd been upset when Will had transferred Allie over to Design. They'd worked together for three years, and she knew how to run his office without bothering him about little things, unlike Marc, who once called Finn during a meeting to ask him what color Post-Its he preferred.

"What's up?" he asked, praying that this 'situation' would actually be something important and not a repeat of the Post-It incident.

"Well, it's just that a Sue Sylvester keeps calling and demanding you submit both yours and Mr. Chang's bats for testing. She said she was sending over someone to pick up the bats, because she doesn't trust curly haired men or freakishly tall ones to bring the bats for testing. In addition, she wants proof that Mr. Chang was born in the United States, and will only accept an original birth certificate with a raised seal, as well as proof that you yourself are, in fact, an employee of Schuester's and not someone hired just to play softball. I told her you were, but she claimed her calls could be routed to your apartment and I could just be your - and I quote - _'Lady Trousers of a brother'_ answering for you. She won't stop calling and now there's a girl named Becky here waiting for the bats, and I just don't know what to do."

Finn sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration while Rachel rubbed his leg, her head still on his shoulder as she talked quietly with Carole and Kurt. "Look, is Mike or Artie there?"

"Mr. Abrams is at a meeting downtown, and Mr. Chang is in a meeting with Mr. Schuester," Marc confirmed, his voice still slightly panicky.

"Fine. Here's what you do. Tell Becky that Sue will _not_ be getting our bats, because last time she demanded they be tested, she doctored the results. Nor will she be getting a copy of Mike's birth certificate. Remind her that last year when she demanded it, the league determined that it was a violation of privacy and that if we were really going to import people to play on our team, we'd try to get pro players, like _she_ did when she got those Yankees to play on her team. If she calls back, and she will, direct her call over to Will Schuester," Finn directed, noticing the looks of amusement around the group and rolling his eyes. He could hear Marc scribbling down his instructions furiously.

"What should I tell Becky about you?" Marc asked, finally caught up on his notes.

"Tell her to tell Sue that I, along with my _'Lady Trousers of a brother_,' will see her on the softball field tomorrow night and that I'm particularly in the mood to kick her ass," Finn said, pinching his nose. "Is that it? I'm kind of busy. It's a big day for my girlfriend."

"One more thing. You told me you needed more printer paper, but did you have a specific brand of printer paper you prefer? I wasn't sure, so I didn't fill your printer tray yet."

"No. Whatever you have is fine. I really have to go. If you have any other problems, ask Artie what to do," Finn said wearily, trying to temper his annoyance. Rachel could sense his frustration and picked her head up to kiss his shoulder while her nails began grazing his back lightly. "Ok, Marc?"

"Oh, but wait, I just thought of-"

"No. I really have to go; my girlfriend and family are waiting for me. Ok? Bye," Finn said firmly, hanging up before Marc could say anything else.

"Lady Trousers of a brother?" Kurt demanded instantly as soon as he saw Finn end the call.

"Yeah, Sue thinks I'm not an employee at Schuester's and am just having you answer my phone here pretending to be my secretary," Finn explained, rolling his eyes at the absurdity of it. "God, I miss Allie. She would have never bothered me with crap like that. I don't know why Will transferred her."

"Who knows? I'm sure Will had his reasons." Kurt rationalized, exchanging looks with Rachel, Mercedes, Tina and Carole. They'd long ago decided to leave Finn in the dark as to the reason why Allie was transferred, as well as the fact that she'd _requested_ the transfer. This way, since he still occasionally saw her at work, there would be none of the awkwardness that they all knew Finn would feel if he knew the extent of her feelings.

"Finn, don't you need to get ready? Everyone else is already changed," Carole asked quickly, deciding to change the subject. "Kurt, didn't you pick out a new suit for Finny to wear?"

"Yes, it's all laid out on your bed. Let's go." Kurt jumped up and started pulling Finn into his bedroom to get ready while glancing at Carole with a knowing look. He emerged a few minutes later, pausing at the door to yell back into the bedroom, "Finn don't forget to wear your wine colored tie with the suit, it'll be a nice contrast to Rachel's dress." He rolled his eyes as he came back to the table and picked up his cards.

"Hey, Kurt?" Finn yelled from the bedroom.

"Yes Finn, the wine colored one is the red one," Kurt called back, knowing immediately what Finn was going to ask. "Men," he commented, shaking his head as the girls giggled and Burt looked as perplexed as Finn probably was.

"Kurt?" Finn called again.

"Bring it out here and I'll tie it for you. I have to do Dad's anyway," Kurt yelled back, again knowing what was going on in the bedroom without actually being in there.

When Finn emerged, he sheepishly handed the tie to Kurt, who quickly tied it before moving onto Burt's tie. "You two really should learn how to tie a tie. I don't know how I can make the instructions any easier. Maybe I should just show Carole and Rachel."

"Why should we learn how to do it when you do it so well?" Finn asked, Burt nodding in agreement beside him. "Besides, you'd just say it doesn't look right and then retie it anyway." He glanced at his watch, noticing that it was just about time to go. He walked over to where Rachel was standing, kissing her on the nose as he looked around at his family. With a big smile he placed his arm around her petite waist and exclaimed, "Let's go celebrate!"

* * *

"Excuse me, I'm new in town. Can I have directions to your place?" Finn asked teasingly, coming up to Rachel and handing her a glass of wine. It had become an inside joke between the two of them to greet each other with lame pickup lines, since as Finn liked to say, lame pickup lines kind of brought them together. Rachel laughed at him as she looked around the private room her parents had rented. Her fathers were talking animatedly with Carole and Burt, introducing them to various Berry family members, while Mercedes, Tina, Mike, Artie, Kurt and Blaine were all scattered around the room in small groups.

"Sure, but you have to wait until my boyfriend leaves," Rachel responded playfully, standing up on her tiptoes for a kiss.

"Do you two _ever_ fucking stop?"

Rachel reluctantly pulled away from Finn. "Hello, Noah. Impeccable timing as always."

Noah quickly pulled her in for a hug, before greeting Finn with a man-hug. "S'up Dude? You get any dressing room action this morning?"

Finn just laughed, but Rachel played into his hands. "God Noah. You are so vulgar. I would have thought that dating Quinn for the past 4 months would have meant that sex would be on your brain _less._"

"I'm a guy, Berry. It's a requirement."

Finn looked around. "Where is Quinn? She said she was coming at work yesterday."

"She's here. She's in the crapper," Noah replied, flagging down the waiter and ordering a beer for himself and white wine for Quinn. "She's got big news."

"Let me guess. You finally got a girl pregnant. How many times have I _told_ you-" Rachel guessed, ready to launch into a lecture about safe sex.

"Oh, God. Don't go breaking out the pamphlets again, Berry. Q's not pregnant." Noah cut in. "She's got news for Finn. Oh, there's Mrs. H.! She have any cookies?" he added hopefully.

"Honestly, Noah, what do you think? Carole just carries cookies in her purse just in case she runs into you?" Rachel asked sarcastically.

Quinn came up to them at that moment, placing a hand on Noah's arm before he could retort. She greeted Rachel with a small hug. Rachel was still wary around her, due to her partnership with Santana during the whole bet, but she'd been more willing to forgive after Noah filled her in on Quinn's drunken closet confessions at the Gala. Once Noah started dating Quinn, she was around Rachel a lot more, and although she could be snobby and a little bitchy, she seemed to make Noah happy, so Rachel put up with her.

"Did you tell them?" she asked Noah.

"Nope. Berry was talking about how she likes her sex, so I got distracted." He smirked at Rachel's horrified expression and subsequent "_Noah!"_

"Why do you do that to her, Puck?" Quinn scolded before turning to Rachel and Finn. "So, big news! Guess who's done with her anger management course and suspension from Schuester's?" She paused, waiting for their reactions.

"No!" Rachel gasped. "Santana?"

After her arrest, Will had suspended Santana indefinitely, citing the fact that several clients were now nervous about the reputation of Schuester Advertising and that her arrest was an embarrassment to the firm. She'd been ordered to go to anger management classes by the courts and had had to pay a hefty fine. Will himself required that she complete one thousand community service hours at various charities before he'd consider giving Santana her job back.

Quinn nodded. "She's going to be starting at Schuester's again on Monday, _but_ Will isn't giving her her old job and clients back. She's only got one client, a new one and guess who it is." She paused again, waiting for them to guess.

"Who?" Finn finally asked.

"Sylvester Total Fitness." She grinned at the expressions of joy on Finn and Rachel's faces. "Santana's really going to have to apply what she learned in anger management when she works with Sue. You know how difficult she is."

Finn laughed. "She called my office last week to tell me that she's filed a petition with the softball league office because she checked the rule book and she's pretty sure that having a team mascot is illegal because it incites the fans. At first I thought she meant Vlad, but it turns out she was talking about Artie."

Rachel laughed along with Quinn and Noah, as they walked over to a table and sat down, while Finn left to use the bathroom. The waiter began placing salads at each place, pausing when he got to Rachel.

"Why, hello Rachel. You're looking lovely tonight as always."

Rachel smiled politely at the Jewfroed waiter, willing him to leave. "Hello, Jacob."

"Can I get you anything? More wine?" Jacob asked breathily, hardly daring to believe that he was here with Rachel, and Gigantor wasn't.

"Um. I'll take a glass of White please," Rachel replied, more to get rid of him than anything. She watched as Jacob scurried off into the kitchen, just before Finn walked over to the table.

"What's with Jewfro?" Noah asked, his eyes also following Jacob.

"The night I met Finn, Jacob was feeding me the lamest pick up lines I'd ever heard, and Finn pretended to be my boyfriend to get me away from him. He followed us around until we left the bar," Rachel explained, laughing. "He works at this restaurant Finn and I go to, and needless to say, Finn's not high on Jacob's list of people that he likes. I guess he works here now. Watch how he treats Finn," she added laughing at the memory.

"So, he has the hots for you, Berry?" Noah asked, watching as Jacob practically ran over to Rachel with her wine.

"Do you need anything else Rachel?" Jacob asked, ignoring the rest of the table. "More bread, beer, wine?"

"No, I'm fine, Jacob. But do you need anything Finn?" Rachel asked as Finn sat down next to her.

"I'll take a beer," Finn replied, noticing Jacob for the first time and sending an annoyed glance at Rachel.

"Sorry, we're all out," Jacob replied shortly, turning his attention back to Rachel. "If you need _anything_, let me know."

"I'll have a beer," Noah piped up from Rachel's other side, grinning.

"Of course, Sir. Coming right up," Jacob replied as he turned to go, his eyes instantly detecting Quinn's arm intertwined with Noah's, which meant that Noah posed no threat when it came to Rachel and therefore could be served.

Finn watched Jacob go, groaning. "You've _got _to be kidding me. I'm having flashbacks to that night."

Rachel rubbed his arm soothingly, trying not to laugh at the same time. "Sorry, baby."

Jacob's abuse of Finn continued all through the salad course, to the amusement of Noah, who constantly ordered things he knew Finn wanted but was denied by Jacob.

"Noah, really, why are you doing that to Finn?" Rachel chided, after Noah substituted a side of mashed potatoes with his meal instead of string beans, despite Finn being informed by Jacob that there were no substitutions on the menu.

"It's too fucking funny, Berry," he answered before turning to Finn. "Why don't you kick his ass? You could easily level him with one punch, Finn. I bet there's a dumpster in back we could toss him into."

"Nah, he's harmless. He can eye fuck Rachel all he wants, but at the end of the day, I'm the one who actually gets to fuck her," Finn said, shrugging.

"_Finn!"_ Rachel rebuked, embarrassed at his vulgar words. "Language! I expect that kind of vulgarity out of Noah, but not from you." She turned to Noah, ready to scold him also. "This is _your_ influence, I know it."

"You know you like my boy Finn talking like that, Berry," Noah responded, smirking.

Rachel huffed in indignation, secretly agreeing with Noah. "I'm going to talk to your mother now, and when I get back, you better have found something nicer to talk about." She stalked away, heading towards Carole and Kurt.

Noah leaned over. "Lemme guess. Berry won't _let_ you kick his ass right?"

Finn exhaled. "Nope."

Rachel returned a few minutes later, relieved to see that Noah, Quinn and Finn were talking about Santana again. She was about to join in the conversation, when she heard glasses clinking together. Curious, she looked up to see her both fathers standing near the front of the room.

"Ahem." Rachel's father Leroy cleared his throat, earning the attention of the room, which instantly went silent.

"Dad? Daddy? What's all this?" Rachel asked, taking the glass of Champagne Jacob offered her, not noticing when he skipped over Finn and gave the rest of the table Champagne.

"I'd like to propose a toast," Leroy answered. He looked around the room expectantly, waiting till everyone had a glass of Champagne in their hand, Finn managing to swipe one from a different waiter.

"A year ago, our Little Star," Leroy boomed, looking lovingly at Hiram, "started an assignment that would forever change her life. At the same time, Finn took on a bet that changed _his_ life. These two wonderful people fell for each other due to circumstances beyond their control. They had their ups," which everyone gathered cheered for, "and their downs," which earned a collective groan from the same people. "But they realized their dreams were too important to have others hold them back, and that has brought us to today. Rachel finally followed her dream after meeting and falling in love with Finn to write and publish a book!"

Everyone cheered as Leroy tried to get them to quiet down. "I'm not done yet folks. Finn; I admit that I gave you a rough time in the beginning for taking my baby girl away, but I'd like to thank you for believing in our Little Star and showing her that dreams do come true when you are with _the one_. Princess, Daddy and I love you very much and are _so_ proud of you, of what you have accomplished and done with your life!"

He raised his glass, waiting until everyone else did also. "To Rachel and Finn!"

* * *

Eventually, the last glass of champagne had been drunk and the final congratulations had been offered. Finn and Rachel had headed home, happy to find themselves alone in their apartment for the first time all day. Finn had quickly walked Vlad, hoping he and Rachel could continue to celebrate privately after he was done, but to his disappointment, he returned to find Rachel looking through a box in the kitchen, wearing decidedly unsexy pajamas.

The same pajamas she wore when she was exhausted or when she was mad at him and wouldn't let him touch her.

Sighing, he walked into the bedroom, shedding his suit quickly and putting on his pajama bottoms, forgoing the shirt. He settled onto the bed, turning on ESPN as Vlad jumped on the bed and circled on his lap, finding the perfect spot.

"I have a surprise for you, Finny." Rachel walked on her knees toward Finn on the bed, her hand holding something behind her back.

"Oh really? Does it involve Vlad being sexiled?" he asked hopefully, tearing his eyes away from the TV and looking at the Chihuahua asleep on his lap. As if he'd understood Finn's comment, Vlad suddenly got off his lap, glancing up at Finn with an indignant look on his face before making his way to the foot of the bed to find a new spot to sleep in.

"Not exactly, although I wouldn't rule it out tonight. Close your eyes," Rachel directed. She waited until she was sure his eyes were closed before placing something in his hands and settling next to him. "Ok, you can open them."

Finn opened his eyes to see a brand new copy of Rachel's book in his hands. "_Baby_! Your book came? When? Why didn't you say something?" He leaned over to kiss her tenderly, his eyes showing how proud he was of her.

"It came today, when everyone was here, but I wanted you to be the first to see it and read it. That's what that text was. Francesco was texting me to tell me they came. Open it up," she said excitedly.

Finn did as he was told, opening up to the title page. "Ooh, I've got an autographed copy! I must rate," he teased, nudging her with his shoulder.

"Oops, sorry. This copy is supposed to be for my boyfriend. I'll go get you a new one." she quipped, pretending to get off the bed, only to feel Finn pull her back.

"Very funny." He kissed her temple before turning his attention back to the inscription she'd written. "To Finny-Bear. All my love, Ray." He looked at her proudly, leaning in for another kiss. "Thank you."

"There's more. That's just in your autographed copy. Check out the dedication page that's going in every copy ever printed." She thumbed through the pages until she found what she wanted, handing the book back to him.

**_For Finn, who rescued me from myself, helping me find everything I never knew I wanted, including him, and didn't laugh when I told him I secretly wanted to be Canadian._**

Finn looked up at Rachel, his mouth unable to form any words. He simply climbed on top of her, kissing her all over her face and neck.

"Finn! Don't you want to read it?" Rachel asked as she felt his hands start to slide under her pajamas. "You've been begging me for months."

Finn pulled himself off of her, giving her one final kiss. "You're right. Can I get a personal reading from the author?" he asked, giving her his best puppy dog eyes as he placed his chin on her chest and looked up.

"You're pushing your luck," Rachel said, running her hand through Finn's hair.

"Come on, Vlad got read to everyday," Finn pouted. "I'm starting to think you like him better than me."

"That's because I do like Vlad better," Rachel teased. "Finn!" she shrieked as he pounced on her, tickling her all over in retaliation for her comment. "Stop!"

Vlad awoke with a start and came to Rachel's aid immediately, yipping at Finn and grabbing at his pajama bottoms.

"Nope. Not until you take that back and agree to read to me," Finn said, tickling her stomach and trying to fight Vlad off at the same time.

"Alright! Fine! You win!" Rachel screamed, gasping. Finn stopped immediately, handing her the book as she snuggled into him. Vlad released his hold on Finn's pajama bottoms to climb into his lap, forgiving Finn for tickling Rachel when he started stroking the Chihuahua in his favorite spot between the ears.

Opening to the first page, Rachel cleared her throat as she began to read. "_Chapter 1: The Inspiration_." She glanced at Finn to make sure he was paying attention before continuing. "_Wednesday Night. "I'm sorry, why are we here again?" Gina looked around the crowded Karaoke bar with distaste. This was so not her scene."_

Rachel snuck a look at Finn again as she snuggled into him even more and continued to read, her mind never failing to marvel at how perfectly she fit into his side. _"Because Emily asked us to meet her and Tom here and we're being supportive. You know how excited she is about Tom," Lisa replied, sipping her drink. Secretly, she agreed with Gina. Listening to tone deaf people belt out "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" was not high on her list of great ways to spend an evening. Emily, however, loved Karaoke, and since she was the one who orchestrated the meeting, Lisa was willing to go along with it."_

She paused as she felt Finn's hand start playing with her hair, reveling in the feeling of his hands. She turned her head to look at him, resting her chin on his chest. His eyes were closed in contentment as he listened, his fingers continuing to play with her hair, Vlad sleeping soundly on his lap. She bit her lip as that feeling of _home_ washed over her. Slowly, she closed the book, quickly grabbing Vlad and claiming his former place on Finn's lap.

Finn's eyes flew open as he felt Rachel straddle him. "What are you doing? I thought you were reading to me?" he asked, his hands automatically coming to rest on her thighs and rubbing small circles.

"It can wait." She ran her hands along his bare chest before she leaned down to kiss him in _that _way.

Finn's eyebrows shot up. He knew that kiss and what it meant.

Vlad was about to be sexiled.

"What's this?" he asked, sitting up and pulling her closer as he kissed her neck. "Is this part of the chapter?"

"It's only in your copy," Rachel said, a moan escaping her mouth as she felt him hit that spot behind her ear. She pulled her head away to look at him. "Vlad."

He sighed as Rachel climbed off of him. He grabbed Vlad, escorting him towards the door. "Come on dude. You know the drill."

Rachel watched as he climbed back onto the bed, kissing his way up her body. "You sure, baby?" he asked as he reached her mouth. "We can read more if you want."

"The only thing I want right now is you," Rachel murmured against his lips, her fingers ghosting the waistband of his pajama bottoms.

"Far be it from me to deny a famous author," Finn said, running his hands up her sides and pulling her pajama top up and off her body. Rachel lay back in pleasure, her eyes shutting as she felt his ministrations against her skin. She didn't mind that they weren't reading her book right now.

After all, they'd have a lifetime together to read it.

* * *

_**A/N: Thus ends the story of the 10 days! I'm sad. However, keep an eye out for Finn, Rachel and Vlad in 10 Days to a Lifetime! There's some stuff in this epilogue that I alluded to that will be addressed in 10 Days to a Lifetime. I'm going to Six Flags today otherwise I'd post the first chapter, but it'll be up on Monday, since I have off.**_

_**Happy Memorial Day to my American Readers!**_


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